Something to Believe In
by Asta Regia
Summary: Chapter 8: "She walked down the aisles, crushing any uncertainty she felt at being an outsider. She was the best dancer in the best show choir in the entire country. Why should she be afraid of some small town talent, a pint-sized girl with the sickly sweet name of Rachel Berry?"
1. Something's Coming

AN: I know the beginning is slow, but it establishes the setting of the story. This chapter was born out of the its first three words, which I got from a prompt at writerworld. I really hope this works out: I had a lot of fun writing this and planning where I want this story to go. Reviews would be appreciated. I haven't done this in years.

AU from Hell-O onwards. In which Rachel and Finn are still together when she meets Jesse, and the convoluted drama with Shelby doesn't exist.

* * *

"Answer your phone," Rachel murmured to herself. She bit her lip. She shouldn't have been surprised, really. It was the beginning of football season, after all, and Finn must have been busy having lunch with the other members of the football team. She had just hoped that maybe they could have spent their first break together. Sectionals had just ended and she had looked forward to spending time with him in public. She was never the most popular girl in school and having Finn for a boyfriend would certainly make life easier for her.

After all, they were a couple. She smiled at the thought, and then ended the call. They'd see each other later. There was no need to rush.

Only, there was another thing for her to worry about now - having to figure out where to eat lunch.

It was a silly problem, but a problem she'd been having for as long as she could remember. Rachel Berry, always too enthusiastic, too pretentious, too weird -always too s_omething _- never really made any lasting friendships. Figuring out where to sit without getting stared at, avoided completely, or slushied was a challenge, but it was a challenge that she faced with her head held high. School had never been too easy for her, and the only thing that kept her from transferring was her own determination to beat everyone who tried to make life hard for her. She knew that things would look up, despite these little hiccups. She had a family now, and she had Finn. No one would bother her now, she just knew it.

She saw a familiar figure leave a nearby classroom.

"Mercedes!" she called, rushing to the other girl's side. It was a nice change, knowing people who weren't always annoyed by you.

"Hey, girl! You're looking good."

"I'm _feeling_ good!" She smiled brightly, and held her head a little higher.

"Same here. I feel so much better now that we've won Sectionals."

"Me too! We've really turned things around in glee club. It feels so good knowing that we've finally achieved something."

"Especially after all that drama."

"I'm just so glad that's over."

"Speaking of which, how are things going with you and Finn? Are you still in the honeymoon period?" Mercedes nudged her a bit. Rachel giggled.

"Well, I suppose so," Rachel answered, a little shy. "He's - he's busy right now, but we're doing pretty well, I think."

"He didn't freak out about the calendars you made?" Kurt interjected, falling in step with them.

Rachel blushed. "I-I haven't actually given them to him yet."

Rachel was sixteen. Apart from a brief relationship she had at four years old, her relationship with Finn was her first, and it was a dream come true. She wanted everything to be perfect. She knew that if they would be in this for the long-term (which she knew they would), they would have to know each other's schedules and plan their dates accordingly. After all, she couldn't have her boyfriend interrupting her during rehearsals or forgetting their anniversary, no matter how handsome he was. She had priorities.

"Do you think he'll like them?" she asked. She hardly ever shied away from anything dramatic, but this was all so new. Mercedes and Kurt looked at each other.

"I'm sure he'll appreciate them," Kurt answered, smiling. She grinned in reply.

"You're right. He is the quarterback. I'm sure he has a busy schedule and having a calendar will only make things easier for us. I'm sure a guy as nice Finn will be able to appreciate the effort I put into them."

Sophomore year could be nothing less than perfect. She was going to make sure of it.

"So, what do you guys think our next assignment on Glee will be?" Rachel asked, trying to change the subject.

"Whatever it is, I hope it's more contemporary than what we've been doing lately," Mercedes answered. "Sectionals was great and all, but I'd love to sing something a bit more current for once."

"I know what you mean. But I, personally, would love to start with some more show tunes," Kurt said, putting a hand on his chest. "I'm partial to Grease. I'm sure you agree with me, Rachel."

"Of course! I really hope that we're able to stage a school play this year. Maybe our win at sectionals can convince Figgins that the performing arts at McKinley isn't restricted to cheerdancing."

"I feel you," Mercedes answered. "But I'm actually thinking about trying out for the Cheerios this year."

"Really?" Kurt replied, astonished. "Oh my God, you have to take me with you! Let's audition together!"

Just then, three guys in varsity jackets threw slushies on their faces.

"Welcome to loser town!"

"Population, you."

The jocks walked away snickering. Rachel seethed. _If you're going to embarrass me,_ she thought, _couldn't you at least be a little witty?_

"Come on," Mercedes began. "Let's get cleaned up. We can grab a bite later. Do you have extra clothes?"

"Of course I do. I thought things would be better now, but I forgot to take out the spare clothes I have in my locker."

"I'll go ahead. I can't go to the ladies' room anyway. I'll see you girls later, just text me." Kurt strode away, looking grumpy.

"I can't believe that Karofsky and Azimio still have the nerve to do that to us," Rachel said with a frown.

"Really, Rachel? You're surprised? After the way they've been treating us forever?"

"I just thought that maybe now things would start looking up, with glee winning and Finn..."

"Things will start looking up for us when we graduate. You could get engaged to Finn and we could win a national title and things wouldn't change around here. Guys like Karofsy will always treat us like we're nothing!"

"I hope you're wrong."

Mercedes paused.

"I kind of do, too."

Rachel smiled softly. Something did change.

She had Finn, now.

* * *

Classes had just ended, but already Finn was feeling drained. Seeing Quinn and Puck together, chatting with his football teammates after saving the Glee Club from extinction, ignoring Rachel's repeated calls - it was all too much. Somehow, he knew that that afternoon's rehearsals wouldn't help.

It's not that Finn regretted how things panned out in the last few months. Breaking up with Quinn and punching Puck in the face were two things he most certaintly didn't regret. He didn't deserve to be made a fool out of and he knew that. But sometimes, he couldn't help but miss the way things were before, when Quinn was his girlfriend, Puck was his best friend, and joining Glee Club wasn't even a remote possibility.

Things just got so much more complicated after that. Before he joined glee and before the whole baby drama with Quinn, no one ever tried to make fun of him. Not that anyone had the guts to make fun of him to his face. He could just feel that people were looking at him, and it wasn't always because he was over six feet tall. It was tiring, always wondering what people were thinking when they looked at you. Were they thinking about the coming football season? Or about how Quinn and Puck strung him along for months? Or were they thinking about his membership in the Glee Club and his new girlfriend?

Lunch with his teammates did nothing to quell his fears. They only made them worse. They mostly talked about football, thank God, but the jokes about High School Musical and jazz hands were a bit much.

Having a girlfriend like Rachel Berry certainly wasn't helping him adjust to the changes in his life. Sometimes, he thought that she was braver than him. She was always willing to put herself out there for things she was passionate about. And right now, that included him. She put him on a pedestal and he knew that. It kind of made him wish that he could be as good a person as she and other people thought he was. He hated letting people down.

But maybe he should have waited a few months before making a move. He wasn't over Quinn yet, after all. Hell, he wasn't over any of the stuff that happened in the last few months. How do you get over feeling betrayed by two of the people you love most? He knew that he wasn't always the best boyfriend to Quinn, but at least he never _really_ cheated on her. There was a time when he thought that no one could suit him better. He only started having doubts when he met Rachel, which is why he didn't think to wait before making a move.

_It's too late to do anything about it now_, he thought as Rachel came striding towards him, grinning at him expectantly. He shut his locker.

"Hi, Finn."

"Hey, Rach," he replied, smiling at her softly.

"I missed you at lunch today."

"I was with the guys." She didn't expect him to eat lunch with her everyday, did she? His smile faltered as he remembered her missed calls.

"That's okay," she answered, happily. "I just wanted to give you something."

"What is it?"

She giggled a bit and reached into her bag. She pulled out what looked like a scrapbook and handed it to him, still smiling brightly.

"What's this?" Finn asked, frowning. He flipped through the pages of what Rachel handed to him, his frown deepening. There were animal stickers all over it, and a few marked dates which had notes like "Hiram Berry's Birthday" and "Autistic Children's Center - Phantom of the Opera."

"It's one of my his and hers calendars. Look!" she said, holding up an identical one. "It matches mine. This way, we'll never miss a birthday, anniversary, or interrupt each other's practices or rehearsals. I even included our class schedules so that we can plan lunch dates, and the schedules of musicals and plays that are going to be staged in local theaters. Isn't this exciting?"

"Rachel, this is..." he trailed off, seeing her eagerness. He sighed. "Rachel, I'm sorry, but don't you think this is a bit much?"

Her smile disappeared. "A bit... much? What do you mean?"

"You've already made plans for our anniversary." He looked at the date and frowned. How the hell was he supposed to live up to whatever she expected him to do then? They've been together for only a week and already she built up an itinerary for them. She was wonderful, but sometimes he couldn't help but think that she was too much of a control-freak.

"Don't you think we're going to be together for a year?" She sounded pained.

"Of course I do!" he answered unthinkingly. She looked like a kicked puppy.

"Then, what's wrong planning ahead?"

"Rach, you even wrote your dads' birthdays on it."

"I just want them to like you," she answered, looking sadder and sadder. "Remembering their birthdays would certainly help."

"I get that. I'm sorry." He gently pulled her into a hug. "I just - this is a lot for me to take in."

"I suppose so," she said softly against his shirt. "We did just start dating..."

He pulled away and smiled. He handed her back the calendar and she put it inside her bag.

"Come on. Let's go to glee."

He offered her is hand and she took it, still looking a little sad. He was sure she'd be able to shake it off. She could never stay mad at him for too long.

* * *

So maybe the calendar thing was a bit much. Of course, she didn't think so, but she supposed that people not as theatrical as herself wouldn't be able to appreciate the gesture. This was just a tiny bump in their story together that they'd work on. Maybe she could try not to come on that strong, and maybe he could try to be a bit more attentive. They'd make it work. What matters is that they care for each other, and she knows how good he is at heart. That's what's important, not his and hers calendars and the ability to have impromptu duets to "All I Ask Of You."

(But, she couldn't help but hope that it would come with time. She always dreamed of having a boyfriend she could sing "All I Ask Of You" with.)

And so she decided to take a little time off from everyone, Finn included. Singing always, always, always made her feel better. Thus, her two-part itinerary (a) she wanted to look for a spectacular song that would showcase her awe-inspiring talent and emotional depth and (b) she wanted to go home, a where place loud, over-emotional, non-drunken singing is tolerated.

But right now, she appreciated the silence. And the copy of "The Very Best of Lionel Richie" she just found. "Hello" was an obvious choice, but she was confident that her voice would carry her through.

She'd never say it out loud, of course, but she thought that it would at least be a better choice than "Hello, I Love You." Finn had a good voice, but that song didn't do him justice at all.

Her train of thought was interrupted by someone gently pushing the songbook away from her.

She knew exactly who he was.

"Lionel Richie, huh? One of my favorites."

She gulped. Jesse St. James of Vocal Adrenaline was much cuter up close.


	2. A Boy Like That

Ever since she joined New Directions, Rachel's life had started to look more and more like an actual musical.

The roster of New Directions provided her with a colorful cast of characters, and the halls of McKinley turned into her stage. Hallways, restrooms, empty auditoriums - she wasn't afraid to burst into song in McKinley anymore, especially now that she'd found people to sing with her.

And from the way they spoke and sang, she felt like she'd found a new character to add in Jesse St. James.

His love for performance seemed to spill over into his everyday life. He loved making a spectacle of himself and bragging about his accomplishments. He carried himself with a lot of confidence, and his talent spoke for itself. He was so comfortable with his singing voice that he thought nothing of walking her over to the piano and singing a duet with her right in the middle of the music store.

Not to be outdone, he sang with as much gentleness and emotion she tried to put into her voice, with a few flourishes here and there. It was sort of refreshing, really. No one had ever tried to keep up with her voice the way he did. No one on Glee Club, anyway.

What really surprised her, though, was how they sounded together. It was as if they had been singing together all their lives.

They'd be good friends, she thought. Good friends. Or at least, great duet partners.

"We should do this more often." He looked at her like she was sure that she'd say yes. "How's Friday night?"

She tried to study his expression. Something in his tone seemed flirtatious: it might be dangerous territory. She was with Finn and she was happy with Finn. But their voices sounded so good together, and he was Jesse St. James and she was Rachel Berry and - didn't they seem like they'd be good friends?

He wasn't asking her out, anyway.

He wasn't asking her out.

"Friday's good," she said at last. "You could help me with my Glee Club assignment for Monday. It's nothing too serious, you don't have to worry about your loyalties."

He chuckled. He got off the piano stool and offered her a hand, helping her stand. "You're charming, Miss Berry, but I don't think it's my loyalties you have to worry about."

"Do you think I'd transfer schools just to sing with you?" she asked jokingly. His hand was still on hers.

"You never know." He grinned. "Didn't you hear how we great sounded together?"

She laughed softly at that and pulled her hand away from his. "I'll have you know, Mr. St. James, that I'm a very loyal person."

"That's too bad." His expression turned serious. "You're very talented. I don't say that often about other people."

She felt her cheeks heat up.

"Could you imagine, if you went to Carmel?" He didn't sound like he was flattering her. She knew that she was talented, anyway. But she had to be wary; he was still her biggest competition after all. But it's not like she'd have him spirit her away to Carmel through the sheer force of his charm and the promise of future, she wouldn't give in that easily.

"I think we could have been friends," she admitted, steering the conversation away from the possibility of her transferring. "We do sound... pretty good together."

(They sounded very good together.)

"I still think we can," he answered without missing a beat.

"We're rivals." He laughed and she laughed with him.

"Coming from you, I'll take that as a compliment. But, I still think we can be friends..." He trailed off.

She paused.

Well - what's the worst that could happen?

"I do, too." She answered with a smile.

"Will you tell your other friends about us? Your friends at McKinley?" He teased.

She pretended to think about it, putting a finger on her chin and looking up. "Hm. I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"I'd rather stay away from more drama."

"I think drama is to be expected when passionate people come together," he said. "Don't you think so?"

A short silence fell over them.

"I'm a little tired of drama," she said, lightly.

"What are you, a sophomore? What sort of drama could you possibly get into?"

"I'm sixteen!" she answered, laughing. "Didn't you get into trouble at sixteen? I'm pretty sure it's a rite of passage."

"I'll have you know that I thrive on adversity," he teased.

She rolled her eyes. Of course, he did.

"Carmel High and Vocal Adrenaline are great environments for young talents such as ourselves. The school's used to winning, so Vocal Adrenaline and the other performing arts groups in school get a lot of funding but the standards set on us are really high. We sometimes spend the night in the auditorium because it's too late to go home."

"Are you trying to intimidate me? We are going to compete against each other in regionals, as I'm sure you're well aware."

"No, not at all. I thought you'd find that kind of setting challenging. A place to grow. When everyone wants your spot, you're really pushed to constantly improve yourself. I've had my share of personal drama, like anyone else, but my goal has always been to be the best."

Of that, she was sure. It was obvious. There was another thing she was curious about though.

"So, I'm guessing you've never had a girlfriend?"

He laughed. "Nothing serious. The stage is my true love."

He didn't ask if she was seeing anyone.

"Anyway, I think I already know what song to recommend to you," he continued. "I just hope you don't think of it before I can tell you what it is. Your voice will sound great in it."

"You won't tell me now?"

"Nope," he smirked. "I'd rather keep it a surprise first. I want to see the look on your face. Could I have your number? And where will I pick you up?"

She frowned for a bit. They weren't doing anything strictly wrong, of course, but she just imagined that New Directions wouldn't think so. She gave him her number and then looked around the music store.

"Well, here's good. Can you pick me up at 5?"

"It's a date," he said simply, walking away before she could correct him. She didn't have the heart to yell that it wasn't.

* * *

"I just think you'd look better if you lost a little of that baby weight," Puck said.

Quinn's steps began to get heavier. How could he be so stupid? "I'm pregnant. Of course I've gained weight. You can't really expect me to be as thin as I was before you knocked me up!"

"I don't!" he countered, following her. "But maybe you'd lose weight a little faster if you stopped eating all those super-sized meals so often."

"I can't believe you! You didn't give a crap about my weight when you found out that I was pregnant, why the hell do you care now? All you wanted then was to be with me and the baby. You don't think I'm attractive anymore now that I have stretchmarks?"

He looked at her sadly. "I'm not breaking up with you or anything, but you can't get those removed, right?"

The glare she gave him could kill. "You - knocked - me - up. Of course I gained weight, of course I have stretchmarks! And no, I don't actually care if you think I'm not as attractive now because you're being an idiot!"

She stormed away from him, red-faced. Puck sighed, then saw Finn looking straight at him impassively.

Finn shut his locker loudly and walked away. At least he knew that he was a better boyfriend to Quinn than Puck was. It was a small consolation, after everything. He took a deep breath and entered his classroom

At least he didn't have to see Rachel. He wasn't sure he was in the mood to listen to her obsess about glee club and their new assignment.

He felt so tired all the time and he wasn't sure why anymore. He just wanted to be alone. No teammates asking him about the coming season, no one from Glee Club looking to him to fix whatever drama's come up. No one.

He really needed some sort of jolt. Or a nap.

_Just a few more hours_, he thought. _I just need to keep this up for a few more hours, and then I can go home._

* * *

"What are you hiding?"

Kurt was standing next to her locker, his arms crossed. She laughed.

"What are you talking about?"

"You're glowing." She bit her lip and took her books from her locker before slamming it shut. She walked a few steps away from Kurt, but he followed her immediately.

"What are you hiding?" he asked, grabbing her arm playfully.

"It's nothing, Kurt!" she answered. God, why couldn't she stop smiling?

"I don't understand." He let go of her arm in a huff. "I know this must be something Finn-related, so why aren't you telling me? That stupid smile on your face gives you away."

Her face fell. Kurt frowned. "Rach, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."

"No, it's nothing, I just - he didn't exactly appreciate what I got for him. He gave me back the calendar I made for us."

Kurt stayed quiet.

"It stung, but... what can I do? I guess these things can only come with time. Finn isn't as dramatic as I am, I knew that even before we started dating."

"Rach," he began, gently. "You'll be okay."

"I know," she said with a small smile. He grabbed her arm lightly again.

"In other news," he started, sounding more cheerful, "what have you been smiling about, if not Finn? I saw the look on your face during Spanish, Rach. You can't lie to me."

"It's really nothing." She started to look worried.

"If that's the last thing you and Finn talked about, I doubt you'd be smiling like that for an entire class. So what is it? What aren't you telling me? We're friends, Rachel, you can tell me."

She felt her heart swell at that. "Can you keep a secret?"

He stopped in his tracks and looked at her with wide eyes. "You're not cheating on Finn, are you? Because if you are, I suggest you stop right there and break things off with him - "

"It's nothing like that!" She took a deep breath. "I just met this guy the other day, after glee. We're musically compatible and I think we can be great friends so I'm seeing him again this Friday, he's going to help me with our assignment."

He looked at her in astonishment and stopped in his tracks. "Rachel! Do you have any idea how fishy that sounds? Who is this guy anyway?"

She paused. He looked at her expectantly.

"His name's Jesse."

"Jesse? I'm not sure I know any guy by that name. Is he from here?"

"No, he goes to another school." That was a safe answer. She wasn't even sure that Kurt knew the name of Carmel High's star.

"Do you find him attractive?"

She felt her cheeks heat up again. "Yes, sort of, but that doesn't mean anything!"

"Oh my God!" he exclaimed in a whisper. "Does Finn know?"

"Finn doesn't have to know! Jesse's just a friend... more of an acquaintance really. I just met him in the music store. It's nothing, Kurt. I'm not about to cheat on Finn any time soon. And just because I'm dating Finn doesn't mean that I can't find other people attractive anymore. It's really nothing."

He gave her a pointed look. "It better be nothing. But Rachel, if this is really as innocent as you say it is, I suggest you come clean to Finn, especially after everything that happened to him."

"I will," she answered softly. "I will."

"Good. I'd be lying if I said that I trusted you, but I know you won't screw this up."

"Thanks, I guess?" She couldn't say that she was surprised. She and Kurt wanted the same things, anyway.

"So, where's Finn? Our classes just ended. I'm surprised you aren't hanging off his arm right now."

"He was tired; he told me that he wanted to go home early today."

"I can imagine. He's still not back to his old self?"

She frowned. "No, he's not. What happened with Quinn and Puck really took a toll on him. I'm sure he'll be back to his old self soon."

"I don't know, Rachel. Honestly, the boy seems kind of depressed."

"It's a good thing he has us, then." _It's a good thing he has me._

"You're right. We're dysfunctional, but we're a family now. We should support each other."

Rachel smiled in response. She felt her phone vibrate. She pulled it out of her pocket and saw one message.

_Hi, Rachel. Are we still on for tomorrow? - Jesse_

She smiled to herself and typed a short answer.

_Of course._

"Is that him?"

Rachel nodded in response. "I'm just happy that I met someone like me, okay? A kindred spirit. I haven't met anyone like that, well, ever."

Kurt snorted. "That, I can believe. Remember, Rachel - you're not going to hide this from Finn."

"It's nothing urgent," she answered. "But I will tell him. I promise."


	3. What Is This Feeling?

She was a half an hour early, that Friday afternoon. It was a habit she'd developed over the years, being early for any and every kind of appointment, and this afternoon was no exception. She was just practicing for her future career, when she'd have to show up to auditions, the picture of professionalism and poise. It was just the way she was. She would have been there earlier if her classes were dismissed earlier.

But, it wasn't like she was excited to see Jesse again or anything. No, it was just her habit.

She browsed through the selections absent-mindedly, humming the opening melody of "My Man" as she did so. Part of her wanted to know what song he'd have her sing. She guessed that he'd suggest something by Barbra Streisand or a classic showtune, but she didn't want to think about it too hard. It would spoil the surprise.

She smiled softly when she saw the copy of "The Very Best of Lionel Richie" they had used the other day. She shrugged and decided to take it off the shelf. They had used it already, after all, and everyone in the store knew. It was only courtesy to buy it.

She walked briskly to the counter, hoping that he wouldn't arrive early and see her buying their songbook. She only met him once, but she already knew that she didn't want to feed his already huge ego. He was full of himself as is, she didn't want him thinking that he meant something to her after an hour's acquaintance. She had a great respect for his talent, but she wasn't some sort of fan.

"Were you that girl who sang here last Wednesay?" the cashier asked casually as she put the songbook in a paper bag and stapled it shut.

Rachel nodded in response, smiling sheepishly. "Yes, I am. I'm sorry, I should have bought it then."

"You and that boy you were with... You sounded good together." She handed Rachel the package.

"Thank you," Rachel said, putting the package in her bag. She decided to wait for Jesse outside the music store. She started a bit shy around the cashier, friendly as she seemed.

She nearly bumped into Jesse at the door.

"You weren't about to ditch me, were you?" He asked teasingly, looking down at her.

"No, I was just going to wait for you outside."

"Of course, you wouldn't ditch me," he joked. "I'm fifteen minutes early. Have you been waiting long?"

"Nope. I came here just a earlier than you."

"So," he began. He offered her his arm. "Where to?"

"I haven't really thought about it," she answered with a smile, putting her hand on his arm.

"Where can we rehearse? The music store isn't really the best place to perfect a song, despite our beautiful duet the other day."

"My house has great acoustics," she said jokingly. "My Dads are very into music. They taught me how to sing before teaching me how to talk."

"Should we go to your house, then? If you don't mind, of course."

She thought about it for a moment. If they stayed in her house, there was no chance that anyone from McKinley or New Directions would see them together. Plus, it was an okay place to practice singing, since her Dads were still at work. And Jesse might have been a boy, but surely Finn and her Dads would trust her enough not to think anything of his presence at her house, especially if it was just to sing. So why not?

She shrugged. "Sure. I'll coach you on the directions."

He led her to his car and opened the passenger door for her. "After you."

He slid in the driver's seat and started driving away from the music store.

"So, Rachel," he began. "Have you heard about the new ballet studio that's going to open near here?"

"What? No, I haven't, when is it going to open? I haven't been able to do proper ballet since the last studio closed down."

"In a week or two, I think. It's in the building a corner away from the music store. It's a small place, but it's good enough to practice in. Great lighting and floors. An alumni of Carmel High owns it, so I was able to ask him if I could get a peek inside. I just thought you'd be interested."

"That's great! I'm so excited! Knowing how to dance is a plus when looking for roles in musical theater, so I've been practicing since I was in kindergarten. A wide repertoire is important for budding young ingénues. I love ballet in its own right, too, of course."

"I'm sure you're great in it. All I'm really good at in terms of dancing is, well, tap dancing. I don't really have the grace you need to be considered good at anything else."

She gasped exaggeratedly. "The Jesse St. James of Vocal Adrenaline, admitting a fault?"

"That's a secret of course," he added quickly, "I better not hear anything from your friends from New Directions."

She laughed softly at that. "Well, we can't be good at everything. Not even me, or you."

"Not that we try to challenge that. Although, if you notice in our dance routines, I mostly just lift the girls. Our director has sort of given up on me being as good as the other dances in Vocal Adrenaline. They all move like professionals, I don't know what I'm doing wrong. At least I can tap dance better than any of them."

"Well, maybe you could try doing ballet with me sometime? I can teach you," she said without thinking. She blushed, wondering if she was being too forward.

"Yeah. I think I'd like that. And maybe, I could teach you a thing or two about tap dancing. It's very important for a role in _Anything Goes,_ as I'm sure you know."

She felt relieved. "What makes you think I don't already know how to tap dance? You've only ever seen me perform once."

"I just guessed," he said wryly. "Like you said, 'we can't be good at everything', not even you."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Your coach must be very good. I never noticed that you do less than the other male dancers."

"Well, that's because I'm always the lead vocalist," he said, laughing. "I have an excuse not to be doing cartwheels like the rest of Vocal Adrenaline. But yeah, we have a good coach."

"What's her name? Maybe I've heard of her."

"Shelby Corcoran. She's a good singer, too, which makes me wonder why she never made it."

She made a non-commital sound in response. The name didn't seem familiar to her at all, anyway.

She looked out the window and wondered why he told her about something that he wasn't good at in the first place.

Maybe, he just trusted her. It was a good sign.

"You should see us rehearse some time," he continued, his tone casual.

She smiled made a non-commital sound in response. "I'll have to think about that."

"Why? We don't bite," he answered teasingly. She rolled her eyes.

"Why do I doubt that?"

* * *

He was, by all accounts, just some guy she met at a music store. She had a boyfriend, and this was just a friendly visit, so she didn't think it'd be appropriate to usher him to her bedroom, risqué as that was. It was far too intimate, far too personal, for a first date.

Visit. She meant, visit.

So, instead, she walked him to the living room. They sat in silence for a while as he took in their surroundings and she mulled over the reasons for why she invited him to her house in the first place instead of anywhere where public singing wouldn't be frowned upon. The al fresco section of some café, or something. Anywhere but her house.

She hadn't even told Finn, yet.

"You have a very nice house," he said, breaking the silence. His gaze settled on a picture of her as a toddler with her dads. She was wearing a sash and carrying a trophy, grinning the way she still did at sixteen. "I see your Dads are very supportive of your performing arts career."

"Oh, yes," she answered happily. "They love me very much. They've been putting me through dance and voice lessons for as long as I can remember."

"Where are they? I didn't see them when we came in."

"They're at work right now."

The (unintended) implications of that suddenly dawned on her. She kept herself from shouting that she already has a boyfriend.

"I'm glad you took time of your busy schedule to help me," she said hurriedly. "I've had trouble finding a 'hello' song that works for me."

"No worries," he answered automatically. He strode towards of the CD players in their living room and put a CD inside it. "I have it all figured out for you. Have you heard of a little show called, 'A Chorus Line'?"

She smiled brightly. "Of course, why didn't I think of that?"

"It only ran on Broadway for 6137 performances," he teased.

Her smile fell a little. He was so full of himself. He gestured for her to begin, smiling broadly. She stood up and closed her eyes briefly, trying to focus on the song.

"Hello, twelve," she began, without missing her cue.

"Hello, thirteen," he interrupted, drawing her attention to himself.

"Hello, love," she looked up at him as he circled her and they continued to sing.

It was like a dance. He kept trying to corner her, moving his body close to hers flirtatiously, but she'd always spin away playfully, with him trailing. They moved across the room fluidly, never missing a beat, never missing a breath, always trying to outdo the other.

At one point, she even let him lift her and spin her around the room. She couldn't help the smile on her face when he set her down on the sofa: they had only known each other for three days, but he already felt like an old friend.

It was, quite honestly, the most fun she'd ever had in a duet. Not that she'd ever tell him that.

And by the end of the song, after that last high note, they were both gasping for breath, and her hair was tussled. They just stared at each other for a few seconds, trying to process what had just happened.

"You need to sit down," he said at last. He reached for her hand and walked her over to the sofa. "You were just trying to pull focus!"

She stuttered, unsure what to say. "Well, th-there's no one here..."

"It was exhilarating!" He exclaimed. He sounded so different just then, as if he were overcome with emotion. She couldn't help but smile at that, happy that she could get that reaction from him.

"When you're as incandescent as I am, no one ever tries to go toe to toe with you," he continued, sounding more like he usually did. Of course, he had to praise himself too. "It's a shame you're not in Vocal Adrenaline. You and I would get every duet."

He took a seat close to her. She felt her heart start beating faster and her cheeks flush at their proximity. This was too much, she tried to tell herself.

But she didn't move.

"Have ever worked on a kissing scene before?" He asked, his voice breaking at the last word. He was nervous. She felt a fluttering in her chest. "It's incredibly important for a budding young ingénue."

He leaned closer and gently tucked her hair behind her ear. He was so close that she could feel his breath on her cheek.

He looked at her adoringly and moved his face closer to hers slowly. She could feel her heart beat loudly in anticipation and wondered if it was even possible to feel so close to someone you've only known for a few days. It felt right.

_You're with Finn,_ she thought suddenly. _Remember, Finn?_

"I can't," she whispered at the last moment, her voice breathy. "I'm sorry, I can't."

She looked down, unwilling to see the look on his face, touching his forehead with hers in the process. She closed her eyes.

"I have a boyfriend," she continued, her voice still soft. She pulled away from him slowly. "I don't want to hurt him."

"Of course," he whispered. She heard him cough. Her eyes fluttered open slowly. He moved away from her and she felt colder all of a sudden. Part of her wanted to pull him back to her and to know what his lips would feel like on hers. But she didn't.

"I should have known," he continued. "Someone like you couldn't possibly be single."

She smiled up at him sadly. "You're probably the only person who thinks that, you know."

"Then maybe that's because the people you know aren't as perceptive as I am."

"Well, I don't know anyone quite like _you_," she answered, teasing him, but still soft-spoken.

He stood up suddenly and spoke in a louder voice, as if trying to ease the tension in the room. "Do you want to sing one more song, before I go? I brought my music player with me. I do have a lot of instrumentals. Talented as I am, I sing often to keep my vocal chords exercised and to test my range."

"Well, I am currently obsessed with Wicked."

"You should hear me sing 'Dancing Through Life.' I'd make a great Fiyero, if I do say so myself."

"I think so, too. Except, Fiyero sort of dances in that number."

He laughed. She started humming "As Long as You're Mine" absent-mindedly. He frowned.

"On second thought, Rachel," Jesse said, hesitantly. "I think I better go now, Rachel."

"Are you sure?" She sounded pained. He winced slightly. "I was hoping to sing a few more duets with you."

"Well, this isn't the last time we'll see each other. You're not getting rid of me that easily; I'm not just some guy you met in the music store. And..."

He trailed off. She looked up at him expectantly.

"And," he continued, "I did mean what I said. I think we'd be great friends."

She felt flustered at that. "I'm really glad to hear that."

"I might need some time to recover, though," he said, putting a hand over his heart. She couldn't tell if he was being serious. "Just might."

He walked over to his things and picked up his bag at the end of the sofa. "It was really, really nice getting to sing with you, Rachel."

She wanted to hug him just then, but decided against it. "Let me show you out."

They walked to the main door of the house in silence. They still hadn't said a word to each other by the time Jesse reached the front door of his car.

"I really did have a great time, Rachel."

"I did, too."

"Can I still hold you to what you said about practicing ballet with me sometime?" he asked as he entered his car, not looking at her. "It would be good for us in the long run."

She paused and smiled.

"Sure, why not?"

He started his engine. "Until next time, Rachel. It was a pleasure."

"Until next time," she echoed. "Goodbye."

He drove off without another word. She sighed.

She really didn't look forward to having to tell Finn all this.

* * *

**AN: **In the episode where they sing _Run Joey Run_, Jesse tells Rachel not to talk to him while they practice ballet. This means that they were practicing ballet together, and since they hadn't spoken before they met in _Hell-O, _it must be something they decided to do while they were in a relationship. And as much as I love Jonathan Groff, he really can't dance all that well, hahaha. I know that he can tap dance because of his adorable performance of "Anything Goes", though._  
_


	4. Dawn of Anguish

_He tried to kiss me_. That was the first thought that greeted her when she woke up. She smiled at the memory, remembering how it felt to have him so close to her. It made her feel giddy, knowing that Jesse found her attractive. If he was anyone else, she might have been a little creeped out. But Jesse seemed to really understand her. He was as self-obsessed and unironically passionate about musical theater as she was. And even though he didn't really seem like the type to be sexually inhibited, she felt like he didn't kiss her because he wanted a casual lay. He was attracted to her, and it was probably because of all the things that other people didn't like about her.

She would be lying if she said that she wasn't attracted to him as well. But she was with Finn, and she didn't want to leave him, especially for someone she had just met. Maybe in another universe, she met Jesse at a time when she and Finn weren't together, and she let him kiss her when he tried and let things develop from there. But that universe wasn't this one. She didn't know how to handle Jesse - but, then again, that was probably true in other universes as well.

_I have to tell Finn. _

She groaned and turned over in her bed. She had no idea how Finn would react, but based on his experiences with Quinn and Puck, his reaction would probably be overwhelmingly negative. He was probably still traumatized. But on the flip-side, maybe he'd trust her enough to know that she wouldn't cheat on him, ever. She just proved that to herself, didn't she? And she and Jesse hadn't done anything (too) wrong, anyway. She had nothing to hide.

She had to let Finn know about Jesse. She was sure about that. What she was going to tell him and how she was going to tell him were a bit more unclear, though.

"I made friends with Jesse St. James, the lead performer of Vocal Adrenaline." That was to the point, but it also put emphasis on something that Finn didn't really need to know, like a smoke screen to what was actually relevant to their relationship. Jesse may have bragged about Carmel High and Vocal Adrenaline's competitive culture, but he never brought up the fact that they were each other's main competition. He couldn't have befriended her to steal any of New Directions secrets; they weren't any secrets to steal. Not that New Directions would agree. She was pretty sure that they'd think that Jesse would only approach someone like her with some ulterior motive.

_I'll say that when I'm a little less sane_. She didn't want to create any more drama with the glee club. They were still recovering from everything that happened during sectionals. She needed a different approach.

"Hey, Finn. I befriended this guy named Jesse. He's a fellow performer and we have a lot in common." That covered the basics, at least, and described what she thought was the ground of their friendship: they were both performers. Finn surely wouldn't keep her from pursuing a friendship with someone like Jesse; after all, he had shown little interest in musical theater. He might even be relieved to know that there was someone else she could talk to.

But that still left out an important detail. _He tried to kiss me. _Jesse wasn't just a friend, the way she liked to think that Kurt was her friend. He liked her. They clicked right away. She felt really, really comfortable around him, enough to let him carry her bridal style around her living room. They hadn't done anything too wrong, yes, but didn't Finn deserve to know that Jesse had tried to kiss her?

Well, maybe he didn't. It's not like Jesse would try again, right? And even if he did, Rachel wouldn't let him do anything inappropriate. He hadn't even tried to make plans with her again since they last met.

It was Monday, which meant that New Directions wouldn't be meeting after class for rehearsals. Mr. Schuester was giving way for the cheerleaders and athletes in glee club, who had to practice three times a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. If she wasn't with Finn, she would probably have been rehearsing for her presentation to the glee club, trying to recreate what she and Jesse had done. But there were other things for her to do, and her rehearsal with Jesse was perfect, anyway. You can't improve on perfection.

She sighed, and rolled out of bed. She'd figure things out eventually. She had other things to worry about right now, like her morning routine and what she'd bring Finn. It was his first day of training for the coming football season, and she wanted to be there to support him. It was something she'd dreamed about doing ever since she was a freshman. She'd watch from the sidelines and steal him away for a picnic after he showered and changed, helping him destress after his practice. She was his girlfriend and she had responsibilities to meet.

She felt a fluttering in her chest in as she wondered if Finn would appreciate her company. Maybe he would be embarrassed to be seen with her. Most of the football players had girlfriends that were athletic and pretty. _Of course he'd be happy to see me. _

She tried not to think about how she wouldn't have to worry about feeling out of place if Jesse was her boyfriend and she was meeting him after a rehearsal.

* * *

It was a little weird, going to the football field for no clear reason. Everyone around her was in McKinley High red. She held her head high and kept walking. She was Finn's girlfriend and had a right to be there. She hurried to the bleachers, making her way towards the middle of the stands so Finn would be able to spot her easily.

She stopped in her tracks when she saw a familiar figure, one she never thought she'd see at the top of the bleachers.

"Quinn?" she said, trying to sound as friendly as she could. She made her way up the stairs to where Quinn was to sit next to her. "Hi, what are you doing here?"

Quinn kept her eyes on the field, her voice impassive. "I could ask you the same thing."

Rachel sat next to her anyway. She set her bag down at her feet gently. She didn't want to spill the food she had gotten for her and Finn.

"I think you know why I'm here," she answered shyly. She looked out at the field, looking for Finn.

"Of course." Quinn still hadn't looked at her.

"So, what brings you here? I mean, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Finn."

"I'm just thinking on my sins," Quinn replied, a bitter smile on her face. It was then that Rachel found where the Cheerios were rehearsing. There were a lot of unfamiliar faces on the field - Coach Sylvester must have started her recruitment campaign already. Rachel frowned. Quinn must have been there to watch the Cheerios practice their new stunts.

"Never in a million years would I have thought that I'd ever be sitting here with you instead of being down there with them," Quinn continued, "No offense to you, of course."

"None taken. If it helps, I never thought this would be possible, either."

"That you'd be the one waiting on Finn? This must be a dream come true for you."

Rachel felt some anger stir in her, but she decided to shrug it off. "It sort of is. I don't want to be here for all of his practices, of course, but it's for their first game of the season and I want to show my support."

A short silence fell upon them. All Rachel could hear were grunts and yells from the students practicing on the field, with the occasional whistle blow. She sighed, dreading having to stay in the bleachers for longer than she absolutely had to. She heard Quinn chuckle.

"Do you even know anything about football?" Quinn asked. There was a hint of condescension in her voice, but also playfulness.

"Well, no, not really..."

"I suggest you read up a bit on football, just so you know enough to be able to follow a game. Finn will really appreciate it. Football is a big part of his life. And never insult whatever team he's rooting for, he'll try not to get mad at you, but it will sting. He's so passionate about the game, it's ridiculous."

A sudden sadness fell on Rachel. "You've known him for a long time, right?"

"Yeah. Look, Rachel, I just want you two to be happy. It would be great if something would go right for me once. And, yes, seeing Finn happy qualify as 'something going right for me.'"

Rachel didn't know what to say. She looked at Quinn, but Quinn still wasn't looking back at her. She wondered if one of the reasons Quinn was there was the same as hers, if Quinn was there to see Finn. She didn't know what she felt about that.

"Quinn," Rachel began, uncertain about what to say. She trailed off. Quinn laughed.

"I'm sorry. But, I did mean what I say."

"I'm sorry," Rachel said suddenly.

"I thought we already established that none of this is your fault."

"That's not what I meant. I meant that I'm sorry that this is happening to you, but you're a good person, Quinn, and I think that things are going to look up for you."

Quinn finally averted her gaze from the football field to look at Rachel. Rachel looked flustered and agitated. Quinn laughed softly again and smiled.

"I'm glad someone thinks so."

"I mean it! You're not evil, Quinn, even though you might think so."

"Do you know how weird this is, hearing this from you?"

"It's not obvious soemtimes, but I know that you care about other people."

Quinn got up, smoothening her skirt. "Thank you, Rachel. I better go now."

Rachel felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, but decided against looking at her phone. It would have been inappropriate. She felt a light fluttering in her chest anyway. It might have been Jesse.

"Okay. I'll just... wait here for Finn."

Quinn sighed. "You know what? Forget what I just said. I'll keep you company until he gets here."

She wondered why she said nothing about Puck, who was also practicing on the field, but decided that it would have been wrong to bring it up.

* * *

"Where are we going?" Finn asked, as he followed Rachel down the empty corridors. His hand was loosely in hers.

"Do you remember, when we first kissed?" Rachel asked shyly.

He gulped, recalling what had happened then. "How could I forget?"

She opened the doors to the auditorium with her free hand. "I just thought that maybe we could have a little picnic here. You know, now that we're actually together."

She let go of his hand and hurried down the aisles. She took out a blanket from her bag and laid it down gently on the floor, along with a few packed meals and pillows.

"Can we do this?" he asked, walking towards the stage after her.

"Well, we already have," she said with a smile. She motioned for him to sit next to her. "Come on, sit next to me."

He sat down and immediately pulled her face towards his in a kiss. She made a sound in surprise. He pulled away from her slightly to look at her face. "Thank you, Rachel." He pressed his lips against hers again, and this time he felt her relax into him. He gently laid her down on the pillow behind her, so that they were in the same position they were in all those months ago. Her lips felt so soft against his. She put a hand on the back of his neck lightly, kissing him back a little awkwardly.

He put one of his hands next to her head to rest his weight and another hand on her stomach, just under her breasts. He felt her tense underneath him, but he kept his hand there anyway. She had to warm up to the idea some time. "It's okay," he breathed. He placed a kiss on her neck.

She pulled away suddenly and sat up.

"No," she pushed him away gently and put some distance between them. "I'm not ready."

He furrowed his eyebrows and frowned, confused at Rachel's actions.

"I just... I'm not ready."

"For second base?"

She nodded and moved closer to the meals she had brought. She took a fork and one of the containers with vegetarian lasagna and handed them to him with a small smile. "I hope you understand."

"Yeah," he answered weakly. An awkward silence fell on them, neither unsure quite what to say.

He heard her phone vibrate in her bag. She quickly pulled out her phone and smiled, as if she forgot that he was there. His eyebrows furrowed.

"Who's that?" he asked, moving closer to her to look at her phone. She looked embarrassed, as if she had done something she shouldn't have.

"Just a friend I made," she said quickly, typing on her phone. She stashed her phone in her bag before he could see what the text said. "Another performer."

"What's her name?" he asked casually, his hands fiddling with the blanket underneath them. His mood plummeted. Rachel was being a tease. Didn't she bring him there to make out?

"His name's Jesse," she answered. She sounded nervous. He quirked an eyebrow. Did she like this guy or something?

"Jesse who?"

She held her head a little higher. _She's definitely nervous. _"Jesse St. James. I... met him a few days ago."

"Why's he texting you?"

"Oh." _Was she blushing? _"He's just making plans."

"This sounds pretty fishy, Rachel."

"I'm sorry," she said. Her eyebrows furrowed and she frowned. She sounded annoyed. "He's just a friend, Finn. I can have friends that are guys."

"Are you hiding something from me, Rachel?"

She looked like she was in pain just then. She didn't answer. He felt anger start to bubble up in his chest. How unlucky could he get? Quinn had been watching him practice all afternoon. He could feel her eyes on him; he wasn't just imagining it. It made him feel so agitated, so confused, so _angry _that he wasn't thinking straight. There was something in his relationship with Quinn that he couldn't feel with Rachel and it was driving him crazy. And now Rachel had a crush on some guy she just met?

Nothing was going right for him, and he was sick of it.

"Rachel, what are you hiding from me?"

"He tried to kiss me," she said quickly, averting his gaze. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, but failed.

"Rachel, this Jesse guy - how long have you guys known each other?"

"A few days."

"And he tried to... kiss you?"

She pursed her lips and looked away from him, towards the back of the stage. "He did."

"But you didn't let him, right?"

She bit her lip and looked down at her feet. "I didn't."

He cradled his head in his hands. "Rachel..."

"Finn, I'm sorry." She sounded like she wanted to cry.

"Do you like him?" He heard her inhale sharply. He brought his hands down and looked up at her. "Do you like him? I don't think you'd be acting this way if you didn't like him."

"Don't you trust me?"

He got up and took his bag from the floor. "Do you like him, Rachel?"

"Okay!" She got up from the floor and closed the distance between them quickly. "I find him fascinating, yes, but - "

"But? But what?"

She looked up at him pleadingly, unsure what to say.

"I know being my boyfriend is a challenge. I'm not Quinn, I don't look like her, I'm not popular, and my personality, though exciting and full of surprises isn't exactly low maintenance. But I'll always be honest with you, painfully so."

She paused, as if weighing what she was about to say. He felt his heart beat in ancitiparion, but also in fear.

"It's you I want to be with, Finn." She said softly.

She didn't sound too sure for him.

He bowed his head. "I think this was a mistake."

* * *

**AN: **Finn's not in a good place after Hell-O. I wish the writers of the show actually gave him time to heal from all the betrayal he had to go through. I think he genuinely cares about Rachel, he's just not that emotionally stable right now. He dumped her immediately after Brittany and Santana asked him out, after all.


	5. I'll Cover You

"Tell me again, what you're doing here?" Hiram asked, stopping his car in front of Carmel High. Rachel had asked him to take her there after school, and given how sad she'd been in the past few days, he couldn't find it in him to resist. He looked at her and frowned. Rachel seemed to have imploded; she was much too quiet for his liking. Finn was a good boy, but he and Leroy had agreed that Finn and Rachel probably wouldn't have lasted long. He didn't think it would be this soon, though.

"I'm meeting a friend," she answered, smiling softly. "I needed to get away from McKinley and he suggested that I meet him in Carmel."

"This is the friend that came over to sing something from _A Chorus Line_ with you, right?"

"Yes, Dad. And we didn't do anything, if that's what you're worried about," she teased. He smiled. He knew that Rachel wouldn't be dating anyone new anytime soon. She needed time to recover. He had a feeling that being with someone as passionate about musical theater, the love of her life, would help.

He kissed her on the forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too, Dad."

"What time should I pick you up?"

"Jesse will take me home," she answered, looking away from him. He felt amused - she seemed to be very fond of her new friend. "I input his number on your phone, and he's been there anyway so it shouldn't be a problem."

She opened the car door and walked over to the driver's side window. He blew her a kiss.

"Bye, Rach. I trust you."

She giggled and blew him a kiss back. "Bye, Dad." He drove off.

* * *

Jesse had told her to wait for him at the auditorium, where Vocal Adrenaline was rehearsing. She had only been to Carmel High twice before; the first was when Will took them on a field trip at the beginning of the school year, the second was when she and a few other members of New Directions wanted to steal one of Carmel High's faculty. Neither trips went the way they expected, but she had a feeling that this one would end well. She hadn't really noticed Jesse on either times, and she guessed that it was probably because she was much too focused on someone else to notice Carmel High's star.

_Time's have changed. _She sat down in the back row, even though the rest of the auditorium was mostly empty. She didn't want to have to speak with anyone else in Vocal Adrenaline, it would probably just be awkward. Jesse was the only person she knew in the whole room.

"Are you people serious right now?" spoke Vocal Adrenaline's vocal coach, stopping their performance of Lady Gaga's _Bad Romance_. Rachel's eyebrows furrowed. What was her name again? "I can't bear to watch this for another second. Take five, everyone. We'll run through everything one more time after that."

A few members of Vocal Adrenaline immediately collapsed on the stage, pushed by their exhaustion. Others were chatting or drinking water. She pulled out on her phone to text Jesse and let him now she was there already, then looked around to take in her surroundings.

Carmel High's administration obviously prioritized its arts program. The auditorium looked like cost a lot of money to build; she could tell that from the comfy seats and the bright spotlights shining on the stage. McKinley's auditorium wasn't too shabby either, but it didn't hold a candle to Carmel's.

She sighed wistfully. Why didn't she ever think of enrolling in Carmel?

"Like what you see?"

She jumped in her seat. Jesse was right behind her, both of his hands on her seat. He chuckled. "Hello, Rachel."

She grinned. "Hi, Jesse."

He was all in black, and sweat shone on his forehead. He was breathing heavily, but he was still smiling at her, as if he was totally nonplussed by his appearance. "This is the whole reason I'm here."

"I can see that," she answered, looking at the stage again. "I would love to sing on a stage like that."

"The lights are so bright that we sometimes put on sunblock before rehearsals," he said smugly. "Our alumni make sure that we're always well-funded. Carmel is a great school for the arts and we produce good, grateful graduates as well."

"Do you rehearse that line?"

"Of course not!" he answered, smiling. "It's not too late to try to get you to study here anyway, right? You are just a sophomore. I'm Vocal Adrenaline's lead performer, I can put in a good word for you. You can't tell me that it won't be fun, or that you haven't thought about it."

She just smiled at him in response, unsure what to say.

"I thought so." He sat down on the aisle next to her. "Do you want to sing here?"

"What? Here, right now?"

"No, not now," he said quickly. "Since you're not a transferee yet, that would cause a bit of a scandal."

She rolled her eyes and pushed him lightly.

"After they leave. Despite what Shelby says, this is a good rehearsal and the rest of Vocal Adrenaline's finally gotten the routine down perfectly. She'll dismiss us soon. Wait for me?"

She nodded. He jumped to his feet and ran down the aisle.

"You better be here when I get back," he said, stopping in the middle of his tracks to look back at her.

"I'll wait for you," she replied, still smiling. Satisfied, he continued running down the aisle and on to the stage. She laughed softly to herself and leaned back on her chair.

"Okay, one, two," yelled Shelby Corcoran. Vocal Adrenaline's routine began perfectly on cue, and Rachel grinned to herself.

_What if, though? _Carmel High would be a great environment for her, especially since she planned on going to New York to pursue further studies and start her career. Vocal Adrenaline has a winning tradition and they'd been champions for years. It certainly wouldn't hurt her chances if she transferred and her parents would probably be glad to see her off to a school with so much focus on the performing arts. And if she could impress Jesse St. James, she could impress the rest of Carmel. She knew it. She could be their lead.

She sighed again, remembering why she couldn't possibly leave McKinley, despite all reason.

_I can't leave New Directions. _They were her family, too. Kurt, Mercedes, Quinn, Puck - even Finn - they were all her family, and she couldn't leave them. They were bound for good things, she just knew it.

Vocal Adrenaline's routine concluded, and she was pulled out of her reverie.

"That wasn't completely awful," Shelby said. "Dismissed." Vocal Adrenaline scampered off the stage, some sprinting away to the exits as quickly as they could. Jesse was texting on his phone. She checked hers to see if he was trying to talk to her.

_I need to freshen up. Give me a few minutes? _

_I did say I'd stay, _she answered. _Hurry up!_

He grinned and waved at her from the stage, before sprinting away like the rest of them. She sank back into her chair, not quite sure what to do with herself. She was an outsider, after all.

She saw Shelby Corcoran pick up her things and turn to go to one of the exits at the back of the auditorium. Rachel locked eyes with her for a second. She could have sworn that Shelby's eyes widened in surprise. Rachel looked away immediately, pretending not to have noticed Shelby. She didn't want to ask about any awkward questions. Shelby might have recognized her from New Directions. She sighed and started fiddling with her phone, waiting for Shelby to leave.

_Rachel, where are you?_ Kurt had texted.

_I'm just waiting for a friend, _she typed. She started to worry that they'd somehow find out where she was, but she decided that that wasn't likely, even for Kurt. Unless, Finn told them who Jesse was. If he did, all anyone would have to do was Google him to find out that he was from Carmel. She groaned and stretched her arms. Shelby had left already, and no one was left in the auditorium. _Oh, why not? _

"Something has changed within me," she sang, trying to her voice soft. She didn't want to make a scene. "Something is not the same..."

No one came in.

"I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game. Too late for second guessing, too late to go back to sleep. It's time to trust my instincts, close my eyes, and leap..."

She prolonged the last word, but no one had still come in. She wanted to bad to run down the aisle and sing, but she didn't want to make a spectacle of herself in Carmel High. She bit her lip.

"It's time to try defying gravity. I think I'll try defying gravity," she paused and took a shaky breath. "And you won't bring me down."

She laughed softly, closed her eyes and leaned back. Singing always made her feel better; especially now. _At least I have someone to sing with now. _It was nice, having a friend like Jesse. Their friendship played a part in her break-up with Finn, but she couldn't bring herself to say no when he asked her to meet him at Carmel. They didn't speak for a short while because of what had happened since they first met - their almost kiss, her break-up with Finn - but she missed him, and she needed a change of scenery. She hadn't even told him about her new relationship status yet.

Maybe she should try convincing Jesse to go to McKinley, for a change. _Not like that's ever going to happen. He loves Carmel too much; he wouldn't leave all this just to sing with me._

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Jesse said. He took a seat in front of her. "I'm surprised you're not down there."

"I said I'd wait, didn't I?"

"I thought the allure of the stage would tempt you to break your word."

"Like I said, I'm a very loyal person."

"How unfortunate, for the both of us." He sighed melodramatically.

"About that," she began, feeling a bit shy. He perked up immediately. "My boyfriend, he..."

She paused. _He said that we were a mistake, but I'd be lying if I said that that was the most painful thing that's happened to me._ He left after saying that, leaving her feeling completely humiliated. She cried herself to sleep that night, but she was determined to feel better.

"He made the worst mistake of his life?" Jesse said, smiling at her. "Is that what he did?"

She pushed him on the shoulder playfully. "I'd say you were flattering me, but it's sort of true. I - he made a mistake."

It felt easier, thinking about it that way.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Rachel."

"No, you're not," she retorted.

"Well, that's not completely true. I am concerned for you're well-being."

"I'll live." She felt like she meant that. "At least now I have a new experience to channel when I sing."

He laughed in response, the jumped to his feet then offered her his hand. "Shall we? The technician for the auditorium is fond of me, but he won't be here all day, even though I sang beautifully at his wedding."

She put her hand in his and let him lead her to the stage. He sat in front of the keyboard and gestured for her to sit next to him, just like when they first met. "What do you want to sing first? I've been studying how to play the piano for future performances."

"What would we sound good in?"

"Everything. Well, almost everything; everything that matters to us, anyway."

"I don't seem like the type to like _American Idiot_ to you?"

"Well, no," he answered jokingly. "You don't seem like a Whatsername. I think you'd make an excellent Maureen Johnson, though. Maybe we could sing, 'I'll Cover You'? I know how to play it, and it isn't too hard to sing."

"Yes, I love that song!" He nodded and began playing the chords. She sang the song in the same key as the original, swaying side to side in her seat.

_Live in my house, I'll be your shelter.  
__Just pay me back with one thousand kisses.  
__Be my lover, and I'll cover you._

He fumbled on the keys a bit as he began singing his part, but he kept going anyway, smiling sheepishly.

_Open your door, I'll be your tenant.  
__Don't got much baggage to lay at your feet.  
__But sweet kisses I've got to share - I'll be there and I'll cover you._

They harmonized effortlessly as they began singing together, just as it was when they first met. He let her sing in the higher key, making sure that his voice complimented hers instead of getting overpowered by it. She couldn't keep the smile on her face while they sang - it helped her keep to the feeling of the song, anyway. The sound of their voices together still hadn't lost its charm, and she was glad for it. As the song reached its conclusion and they softly sang the last line, he looked at her the way he did when they first met, and she felt her heart flutter in her chest.

"I'll cover you." He sang the last line again as if he meant it.

"We should do this more often," she breathed, echoing what he had said before. He chuckled, and leaned his head against hers.

"I think we should."

"Please don't talk about me transferring to Carmel again," she said jokingly. "I think we've talked about this way too often already."

"Clearly not often enough, if you're still not a transferee. You're wasted in McKinley."

"I'm talented as is, you can't deny that. And this is without Carmel's oh-so perfect performing arts program."

He moved back to look her in the eye. "Rachel Berry."

"Barbra."

"What?" He quirked an eyebrow.

"My middle name is Barbra," she said, smiling. "Rachel Barbra Berry."

He chuckled and stood up from the piano stand. He walked over to the other side of the piano stand and kneeled in front of her, taking both of her hands in his.

"Rachel Barbra Berry," he began, all mock-seriousness and affection. She laughed.

"Rachel Barbra Berry," he continued, trying not to laugh with her. "Will you sing in Vocal Adrenaline with me? It would mean the world to me. I don't know anyone quite like you, except maybe myself, and I can't let you go back to McKinley, not after I've sung with you. Please, Rachel Barbra Berry. Think of what we could do, together!"

"Unlimited," he sang. "Together we're unlimited. We'll be the greatest there's ever been, Rachel. Dreams the way we planned them, if we work in tandem..."

She leaned forward so that her forehead was touching his to stop him"Stop, Jesse. I can't, I've already told you that."

"Why not?" He whined, moving back to look her in the eye.

"You know why. Would you leave Vocal Adrenaline to sing with me?"

He looked at her intently, not saying a word. She felt her heart skip a beat - was he actually considering it?

"Let me show you something." He got up and kept one of her hands in his, leading her to one of the exits backstage. She found herself in one of the corridors of the school. A few students were still there, and some of them were looking at her. She blushed, but didn't remove her hand from his. It wouldn't feel right.

He took a key from his pocket with his free hand and opened a door. He switched the lights on. She found herself in a room full of trophies and photos, which she guessed were all from show choir championships.

"We're used to winning, Rachel. Scouts come to watch us sing perform, and this year, they're going to be looking at me. I understand your sense of loyalty to New Directions, but look at all that we've already accomplished."

Her mood plummeted. She didn't feel comfortable in the room.

"Jesse, I... I can't. I don't think you understand. They may not know it, but without me, New Directions wouldn't survive. They need me, I can't just leave them. It wouldn't feel right."

He didn't say anything.

"I'm sorry. I would love to be here. But I can't."

"There's nothing I can do to change your mind?"

She smiled sadly and shook her head. "I don't think so, Jesse. You're my friend and I know you mean well, but I don't think so."

He sighed. "You _are_ a very loyal person."

"I told you so."

"Why, though?" He walked towards the center of the room and extended his arms. "Why wouldn't you choose this?"

It seemed to her as if he was including himself in the equation. '_Why wouldn't you choose Carmel, Vocal Adrenaline, me?' _For a second, she didn't know what to say. For a second, she wondered about what could be - she would be in a good school, she would be surrounded by people who understood her drive, she could be in the same school as Jesse.

But she couldn't stay there for long.

"They're my family."

* * *

The ride home was dead silent for a few minutes, save for the instrumentals of show tunes playing on Jesse's car.

"You never told me his name."

"What?"

"His name," he continued, not taking his eyes off the road. "You never told me your ex-boyfriend's name."

"His name's Finn Hudson," she replied, feeling a twinge of pain on her chest. "He's our school quarterback."

"Quarterback, huh?" He laughed. "How do I compete with _that_?"

She rolled her eyes and said nothing. "He's a good guy. He's just been having some... personal problems. He's scared and confused right now, but I feel like I saw who he was and who he could be. That's why I liked him so much; that's why I wanted to be in a relationship with him."

"And now?"

"Now?"

He paused. "It's nothing. Can he sing, at least?"

"He's charming."

He groaned. "I didn't need to know that."

"I mean, he's not a _good_ singer, but he can sing, and he's seems sort of charming when he does."

"At least I can sing better than him. I'm not used to rejection, Rachel."

She laughed. "Oh, stop it. Maybe you should visit me at McKinley, sometime."

"You're going to introduce me to your family? I'm flattered."

"That's not what I meant," she replied quickly, imagining how New Directions would react. "Have you ever even seen McKinley?"

"I can't say that I have. Do have a good auditorium, at least?"

She remembered what had happened the last time she was at that auditorium. She frowned. "It's good for dramatic moments. Heartfelt pleas. Stolen kisses. Separations, reunions. All in song, of course."

She could hear his smile as he spoke. "Sounds perfect for us."

* * *

**AN: **Longest chapter yet. If you've reached this point, thank you.


	6. The Confrontation

"Rachel, we need to talk."

Rachel jumped a bit. She had just closed her locker door and saw Kurt standing next to her, looking serious.

"Hi, Kurt," she stammered.

"Come with me," he said flatly. He walked forward and she followed him, still feeling confused. He led her to the Glee Club room. Tina, Artie, and Mercedes were there. All of them glaring at her. She looked at each of them, trying to figure out what this could be about.

"Guys? What's going on?"

"That friend you told me you were with yesterday - what's his name?" Kurt began, crossing his arms over his chest.

Rachel thought for a moment, and then remembered that Kurt had texted her while she was at Carmel. This couldn't be good. "Excuse me?"

"What was his name?"

"He's the guy I mentioned to you before." She smiled nervously. "Jesse? The senior from another school? Why are you asking?"

Mercedes stepped in, her tone challenging. "Do you mean, Jesse St. James? The lead performer of Vocal Adrenaline?"

"Yes, that Jesse," she began, trying to keep her voice level. "What does it matter to any of you who I make friends with? Jesse and I are just friends. How did you even find out what his surname was?"

"He's using you," Mercedes replied, waving away Rachel's questions. "Isn't it obvious?"

"It's obvious," Artie seconded.

Rachel couldn't help but laugh at that. "You guys honesty can't think that someone would want to befriend me without an ulterior motive? Jesse has been nothing but a good friend to me, he hasn't even asked about New Directions or our setlist or anything like that! Why are you making this seem so important?"

"Why do you trust him so much?" Tina said. "He's the enemy, Rachel. He's only using you to make sure that Vocal Adrenaline wins regionals."

"Don't you remember? Their motto is _aut neca aut necatus eris,_ which loosely translates to 'murder or be murdered'," Kurt added.

"This is ridiculous! Have you even met him? He wouldn't go through all of that trouble because frankly I don't think we've given him reason to think we're a threat."

"How did you two meet?" Mercedes asked. "He just happened to recognize you? He just decided to walk up to you, our female lead vocalist, after we win sectionals? Don't you think that's even a _little _suspicious?"

"And sure, maybe he hasn't asked about us yet," Kurt continued, "But who's to say that he won't? Or that he has any other plan cooked up with his robot friends from Vocal Adrenaline? Vocal Adrenaline has won first place for years, Rachel. They've been national champions for as long as Jesse St. James has been in high school. Do you really think that he wouldn't try anything underhanded? This is his senior year."

Rachel was at a loss after that. Jesse _was _a competitive person; winning nationals this year meant everything to him. Would he really use her to get ahead?

"He wouldn't do that to me," she said softly, meaning it. "Not me. I know how this looks, but we wouldn't take advantage of me. I know it. He's my friend."

"Rachel, you don't _know_ that," Mercedes said.

"I know him better than you do," she shot back.

Kurt interrupted. "How much do you really know about him? Rachel, this could all be just an act and you wouldn't know. He can't be that important to you already. We all know you get attached to people easily but you hardly know him. You need to stop talking to him."

"It's for the good of the team. Or else," Artie added. "Or else - "

"Or else we'll kick you out of the Glee Club," Tina said, finding her voice. "We already decided on that."

Rachel's mouth fell open. "Me? You - you can't be serious!"

"Everyone is replaceable," Kurt said coolly. "Even you. I know that that's hard to believe for you, but it's true."

"Regionals is very important to us," Mercedes said. "We can't risk it. We need this win, Rachel, you of all people should understand that. You were the last person I thought would do this to us. So you either cut all contact with this Jesse guy, or we're going to cut you off from the Glee Club."

Rachel felt something like her heart breaking. Finn had broken up with her, but this - this was worse. This was much worse. She started tearing up. She tried to keep herself from sobbing. That would have just added to the embarrassment that she already felt.

"You would do this to me, after what I did for all of us during Sectionals?"

"That was Sectionals," Mercedes answered, her tone less spiteful than it was previously. "This is Regionals. We all want to be part of something special, and we can't be that if we lose now. If we have to give you up to win, we'll do that. We're asking you to do the same - give him up."

"You know, you guys," she began, trying to keep her voice from breaking. She was smiling sadly. "You know, Jesse never asked about New Directions. All he ever did was sing with me, and try to convince me that I'm too good not to already be in Carmel singing with him."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Then maybe that's his agenda. To get you to transfer, to get you to leave us for Vocal Adrenaline."

Rachel bit her lip.

"Do you know what I told him?" She continued, her voice breaking at the last word. "I told him, that I - " A tear rolled down her cheek. She took a deep breath and continued. "I told him that I couldn't." Her vision started getting blurry. "I told him that I couldn't because you guys were my family."

Kurt's arms fell to his sides. "Rachel, we - "

"One last thing," she said, smiling again. "You're all wrong. You wouldn't be able to replace me even if you wanted to."

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and turned around, heading straight for the door. The word "replaceable" kept running through her head like a knife. After all that she did for them, after all that she sacrificed and all the work she put in for New Directions, they still thought that she was _replaceable_? She had been working her entire life to perform the way she did, and she still was still expendable for a high school show choir?

She started tearing up again. _Okay, Rachel, _she thought to herself._ Breathe. Just breathe._

Her mind started racing. Did Jesse befriend her just to get her to Carmel? Why did he approach her when he did, anyway? He seemed to genuinely want what was best for her (and him), and he spoke to her with nothing but respect and admiration. Kurt was right, though - Jesse was on his victory lap. Would it really be above him to manipulate a high school sophomore?

Then again, New Directions was hardly a threat to a three-time national champion show choir like Vocal Adrenaline, but Jesse didn't seem like the type to leave things to chance.

She knows that _she_ wouldn't. She didn't think that she'd hesitate to play dirty a bit, if it meant getting ahead. But, she didn't think that she'd be able to do anything like that to Jesse. _Would he really do this to me, though? Use me like this? I think I might die if he did. __I don't know what to do._

"Rachel?" she heard someone ask. She bumped into something warm and soft. She looked up to see Puck, looking confused and concerned. "You okay? You seem kind of spaced out."

She smiled sheepishly. "I was, wasn't I?" She coughed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he said, looking at her face. "Are you doing okay?"

She took a deep breath and willed herself not to start crying again. "Not really, no," she said, smiling sheepishly.

"What's the matter?" He put a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. She smiled genuinely at that. For all his faults, Puck was a nice guy.

"Noah, did you ever vote that I be removed from New Directions?"

His eyes widened at that, and he pulled back his hand in surprise. "No, why would I? I know that this glee club thing means a lot to you, plus you saved us in our last competition. We wouldn't have been able to pull that stunt off without you."

She felt relieved after hearing that. _Someone here does care about me._

"I just... some of the members of New Directions confronted me. They told me to stop talking to a new friend I made. He's a... well, actually, he's the lead performer of Vocal Adrenaline, one of the show choirs we're going to compete against for regionals." She inhaled sharply, feeling the stress return. "They think that he's just manipluating me."

"Wait, you didn't think that when you first met this guy?"

"No," she said, remembering how they first met. She let out a small smile. "He seemed to genuinely like me. I've never met anyone who wasn't freaked out by me off the bat. I think he kind of freaked me out, he seemed really intense and really dedicated. In an interesting way. He seemed to really care about me, Noah..."

"And now the glee club's making you re-think all that?"

She looked up at him sadly. "They raised some valid points. I hate to say it, but what the said is a possibility... he might just be using me."

"Can't you just, I don't know, pretend to have broken all contact with him?"

She gave him a pointed look. "That's not the point."

He shrugged. "We can't really know if he's a spy or something. Maybe you could even use him to help us win."

"Noah, I wouldn't do that to him. I really like him, and I want to him against him fairly. I wouldn't rob him of this trophy with underhanded tactics."

"Well, you can't say the same for him, can you? It's just an insurance policy."

She frowned. "I'm not going to use him to cheat. I care about him too much to do that."

"Do you trust him?"

"I think I do. Sort of."

"That's not exactly convincing," he teased. "I was actually afraid that this would be about Finn. The guy's been trying to figure out how to start talking to you again for days. I can hear him practicing to himself. I was afraid that he said something stupid."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Finn? Finn's been trying to talk to me again?"

"Yeah. He seems to have really cleared his head. I heard that he went on a date with Brittany and Santana and then regretted it completely. I don't get why he would, but I heard that he did. I guess it made him miss you."

"He misses me?" she said weakly, unsure what to say. Things were happening so fast, she didn't know what to feel. "When did things get so complicated here?"

"I think they always have been," he answered casually. "What are you going to do?"

Well, what was there to do? In the long-term, cutting all contact from Jesse seemed to be the better option. As much as he tried convincing her otherwise, she was a student at McKinley and she couldn't just turn tail and transfer to Carmel. That wasn't how things worked for her. What they just did aside, New Directions was still her family. She needed them, and they needed her. Mercedes was right; she couldn't risk them for him, could she? She herself wanted to win regionals as much as or even more than anyone else did.

She remembered what he was offering her. Carmel High, Vocal Adrenaline, him. She felt a pang in her heart. Things would be so much easier there. But this was her life, her real life, and she never gave up even when things were hard.

But didn't that include Jesse, now? "I can't. I don't want to give this up, Noah," she said, resolutely. "I don't want to let New Directions bully me into giving him up. I can't just ask someone I'm friends with to not talk to me for a few months until my show choir is convinced he wouldn't manipulate me, that's crazy."

"Maybe you could just ask him straight-up what his agenda is, if he has one. I'm sure you'll figure this out."

_Right now, I think he just likes me_, she thought, but decided that Puck didn't need to know that.

* * *

He had asked her to meet him in Carmel again, but she declined and asked him to meet her in that ballet studio he had mentioned to her before. It was neutral territory, and she didn't want to be in Carmel when she brought up why she had asked to meet him in the first place. It would have just made things more awkward than they already were, and she was uncomfortable enough as is.

She was dressed in a ballet outfit with no frills and her hair piled up in a tight bun. Her Dad was more than happy to drop her off at a ballet studio after class. He volunteered to go with her, of course, her Dads loved watching her perform, but she said that she was meeting a friend.

She was getting warmed up on the barre when he walked in, all in black and looking ready to rehearse. He took off his jacket with ease and took in her appearance. He smiled at her and then nodded in approval. She felt butterflies in her stomach, but willed herself to keep looking calm. "This is a nice place," he said. "A bit small, but it's just for the two of us anyway."

She smiled in response, and motioned for him to stand next to her. "Let's warm up first. There's a simple routine I want to try with you." He held the barre in one of his hands and then mirrored her actions, bending his knees when she did and moving his arms in sync with hers. She kept her back to him and tried to keep her mind on the routine of her movement, ignoring the feeling of his eyes on her body.

"Concentrate," she said softly, moving with as much grace as she could muster.

"I am," he answered, and she could hear the smile in his voice. She heard him move closer to her. She gulped. "Could you turn around? Just to see if I'm doing this right, of course."

She smiled to herself and turned around. "Okay." She switched positions. "Mirror me."

He started laughing and lost his rhythm. "Jesse, concentrate," she chastised, keeping to her routine.

"I'm sorry," he said, still grinning. He took a step closer to her again. She felt her breath hitch in her throat. She took a step back playfully, but he took two more. He looked like he was about to close the distance between them. She could hear her heartbeat and rhe deep breaths she was taking. _Should I move away? _she wondered. But he didn't move an inch closer, and they finished the warm-up without a hitch.

"Okay," she beamed. "Now we're ready. Try to follow me." She turned away from him and began gliding across the studio, her face betraying nothing of the effort her actions took. Jesse didn't follow, or try to stop her - he only leaned on the barre and watched her dance around the studio. She didn't ask him why, or try to get him to copy her. She was enjoying herself too much, and having him as her audience was as thrilling and as daunting as performing for a crowd. But there was something in the feel of his eyes on her that she didn't feel in front of a faceless crowd. She felt like he wanted to kiss her.

She came to a stop and gave him her best show face. She bowed low, with her arms outstretched. He chuckled and clapped heartily. "It's good to know that I'm in good hands. I even brought the soundtrack of 'Shall We Dance' with me. You mentioned that you like old films, so I did a little research and I found it very appropriate. Don't you agree?"

She nodded and smiled up at him. "Let's start."

Even with George Gershwin's music playing in the background, Rachel found that Jesse wasn't the easiest person to teach. He wasn't as bad a dancer as other people she knew, though, and he seemed eager to learn. The only problem was that he thought about the moves and forms too much, as he was intent on doing them perfectly. They stopped after Rachel taught him the basic movements and stances. It was a start, she figured.

"I hate you," she said jokingly. He chuckled at that and made his way to her, still keeping one hand on the barre.

"No, you don't," he said, his voice tantalizingly low. He was so near her then that she could hear his breathing. She looked up at him expectantly, not shying from his advances.

"I don't," she said softly, as he moved even closer to her, their bodies almost touching. He put a warm hand on her cheek and pressed his forehead to hers, his eyes closed. "You're incredible," he whispered, caressing her cheek with his thumb. She felt as if everything in her wanted to close the distance between them and just kiss him, finally getting to know what his lips would feel like on hers. But he wasn't moving any closer, as if he was daring her to make the first move as payback for rejecting him the first time. She moved tentatively, drawing closer to him. Her heartbeat was getting louder and louder by the second.

But before she could close the distance between them, the memory of why she had called him there to meet her came rushing back to her. She closed her eyes tightly and groaned at the familiarity of the situation, turning her head to lean on the space between his neck and shoulder. He placed his hands on the small of her back, embracing her lightly.

"What is it now?" he asked, leaning his head against hers. "You two aren't back together _already, _are you?"

"No," she answered with a sigh. "I..."

She paused. He moved back a bit to look her in the eye. "You what? What is it, Rachel?"

"I think," she began, watching the smile on his face fall. "I don't think we should see each other for a while."

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What?" He brought his arms down to his sides and took another step back.

"I - it's my team," she said pleadingly. "They - they think you're only using me to get ahead for regionals."

"And you believed them?"

"No!" She took a step closer to him. "I don't, but they said that they'd cut me off from the team if I don't stop seeing you."

His eyes widened in surprise. "Rachel, I've seen New Directions perform. They couldn't cut you from the team even if they wanted to."

"They don't agree with you," she said sadly. "They're good people, Jesse. They just... they just don't know that yet. I know what this looks like, but they're the closest I have to friends at McKinley. Regionals means a lot to them and they don't want to risk it. We all want to win this. You know how important to me this is, Jesse, like I know how important Vocal Adrenaline is to you."

"Are you implying something?" He asked, looking as if she had slapped him.

"No, I'm not. I'm just asking that you understand. I see them everyday. I can't very well pursue a Romeo and Juliet romance with you while living in fear that at any moment a member of New Directions will find out about us. Things will only end badly. I can't risk that. I can't risk you. I want to do this right."

He smiled at her bitterly. "I'd say you were breaking up with me, but we were never really together, were we?"

"We weren't," she replied, keeping a firm grip on the barre. _I still have some issues with Finn to work through, too, _she thought.

"So, now what? We're not going to see each other until one of us wins Regionals? Let's face it, it can only be you or me."

She only nodded in response. "Let's just see what happens then..."

He closed the distance between them suddenly and put a hand under her chin. "This is stupid," he said, and lifted her chin gently so she was looking up at him. He lowered his face so that his lips were a breath away from hers, but moved them even lower and placed a soft kiss right below her lips. Her eyes closed automatically, savoring the feel of his lips on her skin. This was payback and she knew it - she was pushing him away and he hated that so he wasn't going to give her what she wanted. He pulled away slowly, his mouth lingering in front of hers. Her hands were tingling. She brought them to the spot he had kissed, touching it with her fingertips. He wouldn't let her get off easy. She noticed that his eyes had darkened before he stepped back.

"This is stupid," he echoed, turning around to gather his things and pick up his jacket. "I don't agree with what you're doing, but I can't very well force you to spend time with me if you don't want to. Your team matters more, right?"

"Would you do anything differently?" she bit back, flustered and growing impatient. Who was he to take the high ground? "Would you betray Vocal Adrenaline for me? You know what this means to me, and I thought that you'd understand why I have to do this. I like you, Jesse, I really do, but I can't risk something this important to me for you. Don't you understand that?"

His mouth was set in a hard line. He sighed heavily.

"I understand perfectly, Rachel," he answered bitterly, fixing the strap of his bag. "I've given you no reason to trust me whatsoever. But do know that I wanted nothing but what was best for you and I think you know _that_, at least."

She felt tears well up in her eyes. _McKinley, New Directions, Finn. This is what I'm doing this for._ She bit back a sob, and his face softened. "If this is what you want, then I'll do it," he said, much more gently this time. "If this is what it takes to prove to you that I..." He trailer off, noticing that she wasn't even looking up at him anymore.

"I'll miss you and your drama," she said softly, still not looking him in the eye.

He paused. "It would hurt if you didn't." He walked over to her and gave her a quick kiss on her forehead before leaving.

* * *

**AN: **I've read so many stories where Rachel is a fan of old movies that I forgot that it wasn't canon. Oh, well. I've also finally decided on how to name my chapters - I've decided to look for titles on my musical theater playlist. And again, thank you to everyone reading this. I'll try to be more disciplined about the word count next time, I promise. :)


	7. Don't Rain On My Parade

Rachel walked towards the cafeteria with her head held high. So, she had broken things off with two guys in quick succession. She wasn't bound for spinsterhood, and even if she was, there was nothing wrong with that - she could be married to her career and be perfectly happy. She knew what she wanted. She wanted to get into a good performing arts college, land a leading role in a new musical that will take Broadway by storm (or a role in a revival of Funny Girl), and win her first Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical before she's thirty. It was all very doable for someone of her talent and she knew it. Finn can date as many cheerleaders as she wants, she wouldn't mind. No, not one bit. Not even if he went down on his knees and begged her to take him back. She would turn around and march the other way.

She didn't want any distractions from her biggest, most important short-term goal: winning regionals.

If that meant risking her relationship with Jesse, then so be it. So be it! If he really lo-

Scratch that.

If he really _cared_ about her, then he would understand. He'd wait it out and be there for her when she breaks his winning streak and hoists the championship trophy above her head. It would hurt, of course, and he probably wouldn't speak to her for a while, but his love for her talent would win over his pride and he'd come back. If he didn't, well, that was his loss. She had everything figured out. No boys until after regionals.

She took a deep breath and strode over to Kurt, who was busy picking what to eat. She took a tray and put it down forcefully next to him, giving him her best, most chilling show face.

"I'll have you know that I broke things off with Jesse," she said coolly. "While I disapprove of your methods, I wanted to let you know that there is _nothing _more important to me than winning this and getting to nationals. I am as fully committed to winning as the rest of you, in fact, I daresay that I'm even more committed. I haven't seen any of you give up what could be true love."

Kurt looked at her in surprise. "True love? What are you talking about?"

"I let go of my budding relationship with someone whose talent rivals mine for the sake of this competition and for the sake of this club. That's what you wanted, isn't it?"

Kurt looked at her worriedly. "Rachel, are you okay? You seem more scarily intense than usual."

"I'm perfectly fine. My life is on track again." She moved her free hand in a sweeping motion. "I will have no distractions until the end of regionals, when for the first time in years William McKinley High School takes home the regional show choir championship from Vocal Adrenaline. Jesse St. James won't hand me that trophy. I need to put in every minute I can into rehearsing. Did you know that they've already started working on a _Lady Gaga _number? Lady Gaga!"

Kurt started walking to a free table, still listening to Rachel ramble on. Mercedes, who was already seated, looked at him quizzically, but he signaled for her to keep quiet. Rachel followed him to the table, still talking.

"They were all in red lace and God did they sound good. Jesse was pretty mum about it but I think they're changing songs for regionals, since he wants something that will suit his voice better. Have you heard him sing? He and I sound perfect together, isn't that scary? We need something that will top whatever they could throw at us. We need to go all out for this. If we beat Vocal Adrenaline, then we have a real shot at winning nationals!"

"There's the Rachel we know and love," Kurt told Mercedes. Mercedes laughed softly in response. "How did Romeo take it?"

Rachel made a face. "Don't call him that."

"You're right," Kurt interrupted. "Romeo actually fell in love with Juliet. I'm glad you're back to your senses, Rachel. That guy would have stopped at nothing to sabotage us."

Rachel gave him a dirty look. "Guys, just because I'm making an effort to remember what's really important, doesn't mean that I'd appreciate you talking this way about a friend. We don't really know if he had any schemes or subplots or agendas. Look, can we just drop the subject and talk about how we're going to rehearse? We don't even have a setlist ready! I'd discuss this with the rest of the glee club, but let's face it, who else is going to be giving good suggestions?"

Mercedes rolled her eyes at Rachel, but Kurt tried to give a pitch, apparently agreeing with her. "We could do what we did for sectionals. We'll begin with a ballad and then finish with a few group numbers that show our group's diversity and versatility. It's our edge over Vocal Adrenaline - Jesse's their star, and they all move with calculated perfection."

"You're right," Rachel answered excitedly. "We can't beat them through technique, but we are definitely the more spirited, relatable show choir. It will be like a fairy tale. We are the underdogs, after all. I could sing my way up the aisles again, where you guys will be, singing back-up."

"Wait, _a__gain_?" Mercedes said. "You want me to be your back-up singer _again_?"

"We won sectionals, didn't we?" Rachel shot back.

"This is regionals. I don't want to have to sing back-up to you again. I can sing a power ballad just as well as you and I didn't get my chance during sectionals."

"Can't you sing a duet or something?" Kurt said. "Our competition is Vocal Adrenaline, not each other. We can bicker about solos later at Glee Club."

Rachel pouted. Jesse probably never had to fight for _his _solos over at Carmel. "You're right. What should we do for our group number?"

"We should do something lively, something that all of us can really get into," Kurt answered.

"Like a pop song?" Mercedes asked, turning her gaze to Kurt.

"Well, not necessarily. Even just a song that means something to all of us. We perform best when we work as a team. And Vocal Adrenaline isn't a team, it's a heartless but well-oiled machine. We can really do this."

Rachel remembered the way Jesse had always looked at her. _He doesn't seem heartless to me_. He always looked at her with such adoration and warmth, and she always felt like she had his full attention. But right now, they weren't friends - they were each other's biggest competition, and she was going to give him a run for his money. He'd never be able to say that she lacked Barbra's emotional depth ever again._  
_

"It's a shame, I didn't learn much about Vocal Adrenaline from Jesse. I only got to see them practice once. Their auditorium is to die for."

"You'd spy on them for us?" Mercedes asked.

"I-it's too late for that now, anyway," Rachel stammered, not wanting to give them any more ideas. Regionals was important to her, but she didn't want to _steal _the trophy from Jesse. "I already told Jesse that I didn't want to see him until regionals. Anything I do now would be suspicious."

"Not really, no," Kurt said. "If he's as smitten by you as you seem to be by him - your face is an open book, Rachel Berry - then it should be easy. Just saunter over to Carmel and beg him to take you back. If he's anything like you, you could have him crawling back to you with a spirited love song or something."

"No," Rachel answered resolutely. "I can't do that to him. I want to win, but I'm not going to win through any underhanded tactics."

"Do you know what Vocal Adrenaline did to the last show choir that went up against them for regionals that looked like they actually stood a chance?" Mercedes said, looking intently at Rachel. Rachel shook her head 'no.'

"They kept sabotaging their rehearsals and their choir room, trying to intimidate them into backing out of the competition. It was at Dalton, I think? That prep school in Westerville? And they weren't even able to make it to the venue. The venue that their driver was instructed to go to was totally different from the actual one. They all suspected that Vocal Adrenaline had something to do with it, but they could never prove anything. They play dirty, Rachel. We'd just be leveling the playing field."

Rachel was unmoved by what Mercedes said. "I won't do it. They might be dirty players, but that doesn't mean we have to be, too."

Kurt gave her a look. "Rachel, I'm pretty sure that you'd send your competition to a crack house if it meant securing your spot." Mercedes hummed in approval.

"Wait, so you guys _threatened _me into cutting him off from my life, and now you want me to take that back and spy on him?"

"Rachel, we wouldn't have to ask you if you weren't so fond of this guy and you know it," Mercedes answered. She and Kurt shared a look before she continued. "But if you don't want to, then I guess we'll just have to find some other way of finding out about what's going on over at Carmel. You can't be the only person with connections."

Rachel took a deep breath and collected herself. Were they right? Would she have tried to cheat Vocal Adrenaline if she wasn't already friends with Jesse? _Well, there's no use wondering about that_, she thought. _What's done is done_.

* * *

Later that afternoon at the choir room, Rachel tried to sit as far away as possible from the other members of the glee club. She had to talk to Kurt and Mercedes, but that was only to get the word out about her and Jesse and to _finally _get something started for regionals. Apart from their little scheme to get her cut off from New Directions, they had done nothing as a group to increase their chances of winning regionals and she was sick of it.

She spoke her mind the moment that Will Schuester entered the choir room. She got up from her seat and gave him a broad smile. "Mr. Schue, I think that it's about time we began rehearsing for regionals. These weekly assignments, while fun, have been useless in terms of the competition. Vocal Adrenaline has been rehearsing for weeks now. We need to catch up if we want to have any hope of beating them and getting a shot at nationals."

Surprisingly, Mr. Schuester let her finish and returned her smile. "I have good news for you, Rachel. I just came up with our setlist. Kurt and Mercedes informed me of the ideas you three have discussed, and I think you'll all be happy."

She sat down with a quizzical look on her face. She certainly wasn't expecting that.

"What will we sing?" Finn asked, seemingly as puzzled by the turn of events as she was. Mr. Schuester was never one to make quick decisions. This was a first in glee club history.

Mr. Schuester walked over to the whiteboard behind him and wrote one word in all caps - journey.

"It's perfect," he said. "'Don't Stop Believing' is what started all this. It's what changed all of our lives. We're a very diverse group. All of you have such different personalities, styles, interests. But this club means something to all of us, and what better way to show that than to go back to our roots? Plus, Journey has some good songs for group numbers and a song that would work as a duet. Finn, Rachel, you two are our leads. I want you two to sing 'Faithfully' - "

"Wait, what?" Rachel said, beginning to feel anxious. "Why should I sing a duet with Finn?"

"'Faithfully' is a beautiful song," Will answered. "I know you two might have some issues you haven't worked through yet, but I know that you're mature enough to set that aside to sing. It's a romantic, emotional song. You, Mercedes, and Kurt were right. Our edge over Vocal Adrenaline is our passion, the emotion and life that we breathe into our songs. And I think that you and Finn would sound great singing 'Faithfully.'"

_I don't want to sing with him. _Rachel didn't voice her thoughts, afraid that she would embarrass Finn and appear extremely unprofessional. She took a deep breath and sank back to her seat. She would have to work with people she wasn't entirely comfortable with in her career. _This will be good practice._ She heard Mercedes mutter a complaint, but Mercedes said nothing.

"Okay," Will continued. "Next, we're going to perform a mash-up of Anyway You Want It and Loving, Touching, Squeezing. It's going to be a group number. Mike, Brittany, could you guys work the choreography for that? I already have the words for it."

They both agreed to help out. Will's smile grew bigger as he continued. "For our final song, we're going to perform - of course - "

He pointed to Finn. Finn stuttered for a while before saying, "Don't Stop Believing?"

"Yes!" Will grinned, completely satisfied with the setlist he had come up with. "Any questions?"

Rachel's hand shot up in the air. "How are Finn and I going to rehearse for 'Faithfully'? I've never had to perform a duet with him before onstage."

"Well, we could start now. Which reminds me - " He took out a thick stack of sheet music from his bag and began passing it around. "We'll practice the back-up singing after we deal with these first lines. Finn, do you want to start? Come down here with Rachel. Finn, you sing the first two lines, and Rachel, sing the next two."

Rachel took her copy of _Faithfully_ and took a deep breath. _This is just a rehearsal. This is just a rehearsal. Don't panic. _She put on a show face and walked to where Finn was. Their pianist started playing the melody.

_Highway run_ _into the midnight sun  
Wheels go round and round, you're on my mind_.

He sounded uncertain, but his voice sounded beautiful. He turned his gaze towards her after singing his part, looking at her intensely. She felt his eyes on her but focused on the sheet music in front of her.

_Restless hearts sleep alone tonight.  
Sending all my love along the wire_.

"Okay, now I want you two to sing the next three lines together," Will coached. "Rachel, you lead. Finn, sing in the second voice. Do you know how to do that?" He nodded, and they continued.

_They say that the road ain't no place to start a family.  
Right down the line, it's been you and me.  
__And loving a music man ain't always what it's supposed to be._

She smiled fondly when she sang the last line. _They got that right_. Finn noticed her expression and smiled as well, assuming that she had been thinking of him.

_"Sing the next line gently, with Rachel still singing lead." Will sang to demonstrate what he meant. "'I'm forever yours' - elongate that last word - 'faithfully.'"_

Rachel looked up to see that Finn was still looking at her, as if he were asking for her forgiveness. She didn't know what to feel about that, but sang her part with as much emotion as she could muster.

_I'm forever yours, faithfully_.

"And, cut! That was a bit shaky. Rachel, when we sing without the sheet music, make sure that you make it seem like you're singing _to _Finn. It's supposed to be a duet, after all. And Finn, I liked the emotion you put in there, you sounded better than usual." He gestured for them to stay where they were as he got up and started teaching the rest of New Directions the melody of what they'd sing. It took some time getting them to sound just right as a chorus, but Will was determined to get it right.

He dismissed them after they were able to do one run-through for 'Faithfully', promising them that they'd rehearse 'Don't Stop Believing' next and asking Mike and Brittany to start working on their choreography. Rachel tried to leave the room as fast as she could, but Finn caught up to her and placed a gentle hand on her arm as everyone filed out of the room.

She turned around to look him in the eye. "Hello, Finn."

"Hey," he answered, smiling lopsidedly. "We sounded great together."

Rachel pursed her lips. _Damn it_. She felt a fluttering in her stomach - she had a soft spot for compliments like that. She gave him a small smile. "Yeah, I guess we did..."

"Scratch that, we sounded incredible," he said with a grin. "It's been a while since we sang together, huh? You used to help me out with our glee club assignments all the time."

"Things change," she answered with a friendly smile. "I'm sure having vocal lessons isn't exactly your idea of fun."

His grin turned into a sheepish smile. "No, not really. But, I did have fun because I was with you. I miss you, Rachel. I miss us. I know that I haven't been myself lately, but not being with you has made me realize just how important you are to me. Sure, you have your quirks, but you're different and... I want us to be okay again. I miss you. What I did before... I over-reacted. I suppose part of me just wasn't ready to be in a relationship with you. But I feel like I am, _now_. I want us to be together."

He pulled her in for a kiss, taking her by surprise. He had both of his hands on either side of her face, pressing his lips against hers. When he pulled back, he looked at her searchingly.

_No fireworks_. She knew what she had to do.

"Finn, I-I'm sorry," she said, adding to the distance between them by taking a small step back. "But right now, regionals is what's important to me. I don't want to complicate things by dating you - " she paused for a second, uncertain, but continued to say, "or anyone else, for that matter. Getting past regionals is my goal right now, and if you really cared about me, you'd help me out."

He paused, weighing her words, but nodded solemnly. "I believe you. And... you're right. This is what's important right now. After - I'll be there for you after."

She gave him a small, uneasy smile. _After_? "Thank you for understanding. Now if you'll excuse me..." She gripped the handle of he bag and strode decidedly down the halls of McKinley, trying to reach her Dad as soon as she could. She left Finn standing in the choir room bewildered. She steadied herself and broke into a smile - she knew that she had done the right thing. She walked to her Dad's car and slammed the passenger seat door closed.

"Argh!" She yelled as she covered her face with both hands.

"Rachel, baby? Are you okay?" Hiram asked, placing a hand on her back.

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Boys are stupid." He chuckled at her comment and began pulling out of the driveway, making his way home.

* * *

**AN: **As promised, I stuck to less than 4,000 words, but I had to cut the rest of Hiram and Rachel's conversation. I'll just have to incorporate what Hiram was supposed to announce in another way. :) Thanks for reading!

**AN1: **I thought it was clear from the text, but apparently it wasn't clear to everyone. First of all, _Finn _kissed _Rachel, _not the other way around. And the fact that she felt no fireworks should have been enough of an indication that the way she feels about him has changed. Also, Season 1 Rachel is ambitious, competitive, insecure. I love her to bits, but right now, she's young and this is how she is. Jesse is the same way in the show, but what he did was more despicable - he threw eggs at her. She asked not to speak with him until regionals. I thought that the beginning - where she almost thought, "If he really loves me", when she took offense to Kurt and Mercedes making fun of him, when she explicitly told Kurt that what she and Jesse has might be "_true love_" - was indicative of how she felt about him.

The separation hurts, the bullying hurts, so she's using tunnel vision to cope. All she's thinking is that this will all be worth it if she wins.

It hurts because it matters, and it matters a lot.


	8. Know Your Enemy

She had never been to McKinley before. Sure, she had heard of the place - how could she not? - but she had never actually stepped foot in the school before. None of the students wore any uniforms, so all it took to get in was the right timing. She was a senior; she knew by now that if you acted like nothing was wrong, school security guards wouldn't look twice at you, no matter what mischief you were up to. She put on a friendly smile and walked with her head high. She knew that she was drawing a few curious glances. She could feel their gaze, but she was used to being watched. She walked up to two bulky football players, keeping her confidence as she went.

"Hey," she began, trying to sound just a little bit flirtatious. "Could you guys point me to the auditorium?"

The taller one looked at her curiously and eyed her from head to toe. "You new? You're not one of those geeks from the glee club, are you?"

She arched a slender eyebrow at him and smiled. "Do I look like I go to this school?"

The taller one made a non-committal sound. "Whatever. If it's to take them down a peg or two, I'm in. The auditorium is down this hallway. The doors look different, you can't miss it."

She waved goodbye to them and sauntered down to the direction he pointed her to. The sooner she could leave, the better - the _air _in this public school smelled different. It must be all the cheap cologne. She tried to contain her shudder and keep to her stride, focusing on the sound of her heels clicking against the tiled floors. At least it wasn't linoleum.

She stopped in front of one of two heavy doors. She took a deep breath and pushed one of them open, surprised at the darkness of the place, but there was a single spotlight illuminating the place. She smirked to herself. Of course Rachel Berry would be rehearsing. If she was anything like Jesse - which she suspected her to be - she would be putting in more practice than any of them. Jesse was convinced that she was Vocal Adrenaline material. He even tried sweet-talking her into transferring. But she knew better. She knew from one performance. Rachel Berry was a dreamer and she was soft. She wouldn't last a day in Vocal Adrenaline. She'd probably just puke outside of the school and crawl to the principal's office to be transferred back to this nowhere on their first rehearsal.

Vocal Adrenaline needed more than talent. It didn't need bright eyes and Broadway dreams. It needed discipline and it needed strength. Rachel Berry had neither and Giselle knew that. Jesse had it all wrong, which was odd, considering that he was usually just as cutthroat as she was. His hormones were probably clouding his judgment.

She walked down the aisles, crushing any uncertainty she felt at being an outsider. She was the best dancer in the best show choir in the entire country. Why should she be afraid of some small town talent, a pint-sized girl with the sickly sweet name of Rachel Berry? As she moved closer to the stage, she started to recognize what Rachel was belting to an audience of none.

_Oh my man, I love him so! He'll never know!  
All my life is just despair, but I don't care!_

Giselle smiled. This girl had pipes_. _Jesse was right about one thing - she had talent. She was an odd one, though, belting and crying in front of an empty auditorium. But she had to admit, Jesse had his quirks, too. Maybe that's why he seemed so enamored by her. He reminded her of himself.

_When he takes me in his arms, the world is bright, alright!_

She tried to stay in the darker parts of the auditorium so that the girl would just assume that she was some fellow glee club member. Who else would watch her perform to no one? She wasn't Jesse, or that ex-boyfriend of hers he kept complaining about. Giselle's figure was small but muscular, a dancer's body. Rachel wouldn't be able to tell the difference until Giselle approached her herself.

_What's the difference if I say I'll go away when I know I'll come back on my knees someday?  
For whatever my man is, I am his -_

Rachel paused for a heartbeat, taking a quick breath for the final word. Were those tear tracks on her cheeks?

_Forevermore!_

This girl was _insane_. Giselle had goosebumps from that last note. Still - this Rachel Berry wasn't Vocal Adrenaline material. She stood from her seat and walked over to the stage, making her way to the short brunette on who was headed for the backstage exit._  
_

"Rachel Berry?"

Rachel turned around and looked at her with wide brown eyes. She _definitely _wasn't good enough for Vocal Adrenaline, or for Jesse. "Yes?"

"I'm Giselle," she said, smiling brightly.

"Oh, uhm, hello," Rachel answered shyly, extending her arm for a handshake. Giselle shook her head 'no.' Rachel started to look even more confused.

"I'm from Vocal Adrenaline," Giselle continued, her smile still plastered on her face. Rachel took a step back.

"W-what are you doing here? Did Jesse send you?"

Giselle had to laugh at that. This girl seemed so young. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm here on my own, and if you're smart, you won't tell Jesse that I spoke to you."

Rachel didn't know what to say to that, so she stayed silent, inviting Giselle to continue and explain herself.

Giselle folded her arms. "Jesse has been my partner for three years now. Believe it or not, what I have to say may actually help _you_, too." She paused, keeping Rachel in suspense.

"What are you talking about? Why are you here?"

"I'm here to tell confirm what I know you've been wondering about all this time about Jesse." A look of panic spread across Rachel's face for just a moment before the younger girl steeled herself for whatever was coming. Giselle looked at her with exaggerated empathy. Rachel Berry seemed so young that it almost made her feel bad to do what she was about to do.

"Jesse approached you with every intention of getting you to Vocal Adrenaline," she said casually and flatly. "He just wanted you for your talent. Without you, New Directions wouldn't stand a chance against us, and we'd be stronger than ever. He told me wasn't destiny or chance or whatever you might have wanted to think of it as. He had an agenda, and that agenda involved talking you into transferring. This _is _his last year, after all, and he's done much worse for Vocal Adrenaline."

Rachel opened and closed her mouth a few times, but she said nothing. She blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall.

"If it's any consolation to _you_," Giselle continued, "I think that you should be flattered. He trusted you with Vocal Adrenaline. He wanted to leave a legacy, and that legacy would have been you and the talent that he thought you had. He's even asked a scout to come visit you here soon."

She smiled as she continued, her lips curled cruelly. "I can't blame you for believing him. He made you feel special, didn't he? I'm guessing he looked at you like you were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. But I know Jesse, and he can be charming when he wants to be, especially if it means getting what he wants. He used you, and he lied to you."

The girl in front of her looked like she wanted to be eaten up by the floor. This was too easy, she couldn't help it.

"He didn't take your virginity, did he? That would be low, even for him."

Rachel's face flushed. She looked at Giselle as if she had been slapped. But she still didn't say anything.

"Look, I just came here to warn you. Don't trust him. He doesn't mean a word of what he says to you and he never did. I couldn't care less about what he does to you, honestly, I just have my choir's best interest's in mind. I'm graduating along with him. He's the best vocalist and I'm the best dancer. I can't have the legacy he and I built get torn to shreds by interesting but weak talents like as you. You're not cut out for Vocal Adrenaline, no matter what he said or whatever he led you to believe. So when that scout comes, you better say no. Would you really want to be in our club, especially after what Jesse did to you? Never let yourself forget that, or else I'll come back to remind you. We all will."

Satisfied, Giselle turned around to exit the way she came. She was only able to walk a few steps when the little girl spoke up.

"You're wrong."

Giselle turn her head to smirk at her sarcastically. "Of course, I am."

The younger girl strode towards her. "You're wrong," she said, much more forcefully than the first time.

Giselle quirked an eyebrow in response. "Now you're just being delusional."

"No, _you _are," Rachel answered. "You heard me sing. I saw you come in and I know that you were impressed. I think that you're jealous. I think that you don't know what to do after high school and you're feeling insecure so you thought of picking on a sophomore to make you feel better about yourself. You and Jesse might be national champions, but I don't care what you say, I will be too and you know it. Actually, I don't care if you don't know because I do and your opinion doesn't really matter to me."

Rachel smiled.

"Besides, I've seen you two together. You may have known him for years, but Jesse and I sound magical together, and you just don't have that. You're lying."

Giselle was taken aback by Rachel's confidence. Maybe she did have some bite to her, after all. But no one spoke to her like that. No one.

"I don't know where your ego comes from, but I'd turn it down if I were you. You don't really have anything to show for it, do you?"

And with that, she made her exit.

* * *

"What do you mean, the choir room is closed?" Will Schuester demanded of the janitor making his way to the choir room with a mop in hand. The janitor only shrugged.

"A few students complained that something stank in here. One of them even got dizzy because of the smell. I've been sent here to clean and until I finish I can't let you use the choir room. I'm sorry, but you wouldn't want to be in here anyway." He put on his face mask and then entered the choir room, locking the door behind him.

Will sighed, frustrated. Where else could they rehearse for regionals? And where the hell was that smell coming from, anyway? God, what would he tell the kids? What would he tell _Rachel_? She'd definitely panic. He didn't really have the energy to deal with her right then.

"Mr. Schue? What's going on?" Tina looked from him to the door. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"The choir room is closed. Apparently there's something in there and it smells. There's a janitor inside, he's cleaning up and he won't let us get in until he finishes."

Tina's jaw fell in surprise. "Wait, _what_? Where are we going to rehearse? Who did this?"

"What's going on?" Mercedes asked, walking over to them with Quinn following. Will started feeling a bit nervous.

"The choir room's closed!" Tina answered, her tone urgent. "We can't rehearse because _someone _put something in the choir room and now it stinks!"

Will perked up. "Tina, I never said that - "

Tina gave him a look. "Mr. Schue, with all do respect, don't you think that someone's messing with us? They wouldn't shut down the choir room for a leftover lunch! Someone left something there!"

The janitor opened the door and stepped out. A hint of what the choir room smelled like wafted through the air and Will had to keep himself from barfing. The few students that were near quickly moved away. He turned to the janitor. "It smells like crap in there!"

"It does, doesn't it? I'd hate to think that someone actually left some shit in there, but that's what it smells like, doesn't it? I still can't find what's causing it. I'm just off to ask another guy from maintenance to help me out, if I can find anyone who'll agree." He walked away without another word. Will frowned and directed his attention back to his students.

"I'm sorry," he said, as more members of New Directions started coming. "The choir room is closed for maintenance. It smells awful in there."

Rachel strode in and looked at them all quizzically. Her eyes were kind of red. Will made a mental note to ask her how she was doing when he got the chance. "What's all this about?" Rachel asked.

"It looks like someone'ssabotaging us," Quinn answered, turning to face Rachel. Rachel's eyebrows furrowed and she smiled nervously.

"What are you talking about?"

"Vocal Adrenaline left something in the choir room and now we can't enter!" Tina added, glowering. "I kind of need to puke!"

"Someone from Vocal Adrenaline?"

"Your new boyfriend's show choir, yeah," Santana snapped. "Don't get me wrong, I don't care who you sleep with, for the most part anyway, but I hate losing. I say we pay them back for this."

_Rachel has a new boyfriend?_ Will thought, puzzled. He felt so out of touch with what was going on.

"He's not my boyfriend," Rachel answered, growing impatient. "But I saw someone from Vocal Adrenaline a few minutes ago. Giselle, one of their dancers. She spoke to me, trying to make me feel bad about myself. Maybe she's responsible for this."

Santana nodded. "It might be her. But the point is, I don't think they're gonna stop. We need to do something."

_Okay, this ends here._ "We can talk about what we're going to do later. Right now, we need to figure out where we're going to rehearse. That's what's important."

"Is the auditorium open?" Kurt asked. "Maybe we can rehearse there."

Rachel shook her head 'no.' "I just came from there. A class of literature students kicked me out because they needed to rehearse for their class play. I didn't even have time to sing three songs."

"Could we practice in an empty classroom?" Quinn asked. "All the classes are over, anyway."

Will sighed. "Sadly, no. It's against school policy to rehearse in classrooms. It would be disruptive to the other students. There are classrooms being used for students that have failed some of their subjects."

Tina clicked her tongue and then spoke up. "Now what? Are we going to rehearse or what?"

Will thought for a moment. "We could rehearse in the quadrangle. There'd be no one to disturb, and it's a public place, but we're going to be performing in public, anyway. And it might be a good way to attract people to the glee club."

Mercedes frowned. "Mr. Schue, are you sure that's a good idea? We aren't exactly popular around here."

"No one will try anything in front of me. Think of it as a leisurely break in our routine. Besides, if we rehearse now, then this little stunt will mean nothing. We'll win this round and we'll get some work done. Alright?"

New Directions mumbled in agreement, and followed him to the quadrangle.

Their rehearsal was good enough for him. The kids were a bit shyer than they usually were, but once they got used to their surroundings, they started rehearsing as they akways did - shakily, but they got the job done. They even caught the attention of some of the students nearby, which he was choosing to see as a good thing.

After going through the singing parts of their performances of 'Faithfully' and their mash-up of 'Anyway You Want It / Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'' (Will had to make sure that Mercedes had enough lines to showcase her voice), he let them go home. He figured that they needed less practice for 'Don't Stop Believing' and they could practice that on the same day they started dance rehearsals.

It was late afternoon by the time they finished, and the sun was beginning to set, but Will remembered the way Rachel had looked the first time he had seen her before rehearsal. He called to her as the rest of New Directions scrambled to get home.

"You wanted to speak to me, Mr. Schue?" She asked, grinning to hide the exhaustion she must have felt. Rachel always put in more work than anyone in the team.

"Rachel, I just wanted to let you know that if there's anything you need to talk about, you can approach me or Miss Pillsbury. We're here to help. If someone's been harrassing you, you can tell us. You have a lot on your shoulders, I know. But if there's anything I can do for you or anything you want to talk about, I'm here. Okay?"

Rachel looked at him searchingly, her grin disappearing. Her voice was sad as she spoke. "Mr. Schue, I've literally given this club all that I can. I even gave up someone I felt a real connection with for the sake of New Directions and regionals because it's the right thing to do and I'm pretty sure he would do the same thing..."

"Is this the boyfriend Santana mentioned?"

"He's not my boyfriend. He was just my friend, but there was a real spark there. All of the things that other people made fun of about me, he absolutely adored. Apart from my Dads, no one has ever accepted all of me, not even you. And I gave that up for this, for this competition, for this glee club."

She didn't say anything for a moment, and he had no idea what to tell her. She started tearing up as she spoke again.

"And now someone from his school came here to tell me that none of it was real, that he faked the entire thing to get me to Carmel. And he really did want me to go to Carmel, it was obvious. But now I'm terrified, because the person who I thought could be my first real best friend might just be using me and there's nothing I can do about that without betraying him or the glee club. I'm not sure I can even look at him right now, I might just start crying. I think that I love him and that's scary."

She choked back a sob and continued.

"I want to be part of something special. That would make me special, too. I want - no, I need to have something to show for the talent that I know I have. Finn, Jesse, this glee club - all of this - all of this would be okay if I just _won_ for once."

She looked up at him and smiled.

"I just need you to tell me that you'll do everything you can to make sure that this is going to be worth it."


End file.
